The only opinion expressed was that it is outrageous that one can stop the importation of some foreign company's USED equipment on the open market by buying the same trademark... This was originally brought to my attention by a Japanese exporter.
As far as sheding light, I could understand the above statement to be incorrect if that ZEN-NOH trademark import restriction did not apply to the used Japanese ZEN-NOH coop products found in Japan. As per The Wallace International Trading Company Website,
here
"Both the Kubota and Yanmar Corporations built tractors in Japan bearing this name. The tractors are identical to the models that these corporations built for the Japan domestic market. The ZEN-NOH decals were affixed to the hoods of tractors that were sold to the ZEN-NOH association as a courtesy and as a marketing tool for the rice growers in Japan. To our knowledge there are no differences between the ZEN-NOH models and Japanese domestics models – only the decal and a “Z” in front of the model number. For example a Kubota L1501DT would become a ZL1501DT.
Any company with a desire to import used, ZEN-NOH tractors should contact Wallace International Trading Co., and apply for a license. Parties attempting to import ZEN-NOH without a license risk seizure of the tractors by U.S. Customs at the port of entry."
As per the information presented to me by Customs, we could not decipher a difference between the Japanese ZEN-NOH label and the ZEN-NOH trademark in the USA. As per,
here, at the United States Patent and Trademark Office the Trademark is the same.
My opinion is based on the facts presented to me by US Customs, the US Patent and Trademark Office website, and the Wallace International Trading Company website.
