Nippon Steel Filed Lawsuit Over Patent Infringement
Nippon Steel Corporation filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Baoshan Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., a Chinese steelmaker (“Baosteel”) and Toyota Motor Corporation (“Toyota”) over their infringement of Nippon Steel’s patent right relating to “Non-Oriented Electrical Steel Sheets”, and further filed a petition for preliminary injunction to prohibit Toyota from manufacturing and selling vehicles using the patent-related material.
Noting that a lawsuit has been initiated between two major domestic corporations having business relationship with each other, it is worth watching further developments of this lawsuit.
According to Nippon Steel’s News Release dated October 14, 2021, particulars of this lawsuit are as follows.
1. Lawsuit against Baosteel
(1) Lawsuit Seeking Compensatory Damages
@ Claims: Compensation for damages of approx. JPY 20 billion
A Court of Filing: Tokyo District Court
B Filing Date: October 14, 2021
2. Lawsuit against Toyota
(1) Lawsuit Seeking Compensatory Damages
@ Claims: Compensation for damages of approx. JPY 20 billion
A Court of Filing: Tokyo District Court
B Filing Date: October 14, 2021
(2) Petition for Preliminary Injunction Prohibiting Manufacturing and Selling Motor-driven Vehicles
@ Claims: Prohibition of manufacturing and selling motor-driven vehicles equipped with motors using non-oriented electrical steel sheets infringing Nippon Steel’s patent
A Court of Petition: Tokyo District Court
B Petition Date: October 14, 2021
As Nippon Steel filed a petition for preliminary injunction seeking “prohibition of manufacturing and selling motor-driven vehicles equipped with motors using non-oriented electrical steel sheets”, Toyota would be prohibited from manufacturing and selling motor-driven vehicles (such as electric vehicles) equipped with motors using Baosteel’s “non-oriented electrical steel sheets” if the petition is granted.
(Source: “News Release dated October 14, 2021” of Nippon Steel Corporation)
The above News Release of Nippon Steel Corporation can be accessed using the following link:
https://www.nipponsteel.com/common/secure/en/news/20211014