IP Vietnam rejected the request to cancel Kawasaki’s figurative trademark.

Yadea Technology Group Co., Ltd. (“Yadea”), headquartered in Jiangsu, China, operates in the research & development, manufacture, and distribution of electric vehicles. This company filed a petition with IP Vietnam requesting the invalidation of the International Registration of Trademark (IR) No. 1710761, designating Vietnam, held by Kawasaki Motors Ltd. (“Kawasaki”) (hereinafter referred to as the “trademark subject to invalidation”). This trademark is registered for products and services under Classes 12, 35, and 37.

Yadea asserted that Kawasaki's trademark failed to satisfy protection criteria at the time of filing because it is confusingly similar to Yadea's prior trademarks currently in force in Vietnam. These include Certificate of Trademark Registration (TM Reg.) No.285763 (issued on August 4, 2017) and TM Reg. No.425374 (issued on June 9, 2022) (hereinafter referred to as the “cited trademarks”). These cited trademarks are registered for similar products and services, and have been extensively used and widely recognized by consumers. The trademark subject to invalidation and the cited trademarks are illustrated in the figure below:

The IP Vietnam notified Kawasaki of the case to allow the respondent to file a reply in accordance with statutory regulations. Kawasaki's authorized representative asserted that Yadea's invalidation request was groundless and presented the following three arguments:

(1) Dissimilarity in Appearance and Visual Impression: The trademark under IR No. 1710761 of Kawasaki is a figurative mark (containing no text), presented in black on a white background, and is composed of three (03) elongated hexagons of identical shape and size. Each hexagon consists of two (02) long parallel sides and four (04) shorter lateral sides that form faceted angles at both ends. These three elongated hexagons are arranged in a stylized, symmetrical layout, forming an overall inverted isosceles triangle with a capital letter "Y" shaped negative space appearing in the exact center. Conversely, Yadea's cited trademarks under TM Reg. Nos. 285763 and 425374 consist of three triangular elements with rounded contours, divided into three pieces pointing inward toward the center to create a blank Y-shape, presented in orange on a white background. Therefore, it cannot be concluded that Kawasaki's trademark is confusingly similar to Yadea's prior trademarks, even though they are registered for similar classes of products and services.

(2) Particularity of the Product Segment: The products bearing Kawasaki's IR No. 1710761 and those bearing Yadea's trademarks are high-tech commodities (including heavy-tonnage motorcycles, motorcycles, and electric scooters). Consumers in this segment habitually examine technical specifications with extreme care and consult experts or technicians at authorized dealerships. Consequently, the likelihood of confusion between the two trademarks in actual practice is exceptionally low.

(3) Conclusiveness of Evidence: The documents and evidence submitted by Yadea are insufficient to prove that their cited trademarks had been widely used and recognized prior to the filing date of the trademark subject to invalidation.

Following a comprehensive review of the case, the IP Vietnam found no grounds to invalidate IR No. 1710761 held by Kawasaki Motors Ltd. Accordingly, the IPO issued Notice No. 15017/TB-SHTT.IP dated January 29, 2026, rejecting Yadea's request. By law, Yadea retains the right to appeal this notice within a statutory period of 90 days./.