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Japan court rejects Philip Morris's bid to end e-cigarette patent threat

By Toko Sekiguchi ( July 14, 2025, 08:15 GMT | Insight) -- A Tokyo court has dismissed Philip Morris Japan’s bid to confirm noninfringement of an e-cigarette cartridge patent, finding no legal interest after the patent owner waived its damages claims. Phillip Morris had argued that despite the waiver, the patent owner's past actions showed a strong intent to assert its IP rights but the Tokyo District Court rejected the uncertainty claim, citing a Supreme Court doctrine that declaratory relief is allowed only when needed to resolve a legal dispute and eliminate concrete uncertainty. Philip Morris Japan failed to secure a court ruling confirming noninfringement of an e-cigarette cartridge patent held by Future Technology, after the Tokyo District Court dismissed its declaratory suit for lack of legal interest....

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