We hereby inform you that World Church of Messiah (Spiritual Leader: Yoichi Okada, President: Keiichiro Narii) has achieved a total victory in a series of lawsuits regarding the trademark of the name “World Church of Messiah” registered with the Japan Patent Office filed by Sekai Kyusei Kyo (Spiritual Leader: Nobuyuki Watase, President: Yoshiyuki Nagasawa), a religious corporation known for operating the MOA Museum of Art. 1. History of the lawsuitIn October 2018, our Church applied for a trademark registration of the name “World Church of Messiah” with the Japan Patent Office. Although Sekai Kyusei Kyo submitted a statement of opposition twice, the Japan Patent Office approved the trademark registration in December 2019.Sekai Kyusei Kyo further filed an objection against the trademark registration granted by the Japan Patent Office, but the Japan Patent Office made the decision to maintain the trademark registration.Subsequently, Sekai Kyusei Kyo requested a trial for invalidation to cancel the trademark registration, but the Japan Patent Office did not accept any of Sekai Kyusei Kyo’s arguments and dismissed the request on September 21, 2023, approving our Church’s trademark registration of “World Church of Messiah.”Sekai Kyusei Kyo argued that the Japan Patent Office’s decision to approve the trademark registration was wrong and that the trademark registration should be canceled, and went so far as to file a lawsuit with the Intellectual Property High Court in October 2023. However, on May 21, 2024, the court handed down a ruling dismissing all claims made by the plaintiff, Sekai Kyusei Kyo.Sekai Kyusei Kyo did not appeal this ruling to the Supreme Court, so the ruling became final, and our Church has achieved a total victory of the case. 2. Overview of the Intellectual Property High Court lawsuitPlaintiff: Sekai Kyusei KyoDefendant: World Church of Messiah (our Church)Plaintiff’s claim: To revoke the decision of the Japan Patent Office to approve the trademark registration of “World Church of Messiah” and dismiss the claims of Sekai Kyusei Kyo. 3. Ruling of the Intellectual Property High CourtThe ruling handed down was as follows:“Main text of the ruling: 1) The plaintiff’s claims shall be dismissed. 2) The plaintiff shall bear the costs of the lawsuit.”The ruling dismissed all claims of Sekai Kyusei Kyo and rejected all of its arguments, resulting in a total victory for our Church.