[MIKOTAMA Seminar #09: Trade Secrets Edition]
We will be holding an event titled "Leaking it is a disaster. Letting it in is also a disaster. ~The reality and practical aspects of trade secret risk~"
Guest: Keisuke Yuzawa, General Manager, Legal Department, Kobe Steel, Ltd.
[September 29, 2026 (Tuesday) 15:00~]　

Event Outline

A former employee took data with them. An employee hired from a competitor brought confidential information from their previous job. Can you immediately answer what risks this poses to the company and how much damage it could cause?
The risk of trade secrets being leaked or leaked exists for companies of any industry and size.

In 2025, the number of cases of illegal removal of trade secrets was projected to reach 38, involving 64 individuals, the highest number since statistics began in 2013.(National Police Agency). Of the 38 cases of arrest, 30 were...Approximately 8% are related to changing jobs or starting one's own business.That was the case. Against the backdrop of the increasingly active job market in recent years, the number of consultations with the police has also remained at a high level.

A recent example that comes to mind is the case involving the Fujitsu Group that came to light in May 2026. A former employee of Fujitsu Japan was arrested for sending 26 documents, including business negotiation strategies and customer presentation materials, to his personal email address and taking them with him. According to reports, he admitted to the charges, saying that he did it "to explain his work during his job search."
We live in an era where even a simple "accident" during job-hopping preparations, rather than malicious industrial espionage, can become a criminal case.

Furthermore, the former president of Kappa Sushi was arrested, indicted, and convicted for illegally taking data related to Hama Sushi's procurement costs and ingredient usage before and after changing jobs from Zensho Holdings to Kappa Create. Kappa Create as a corporation was also convicted and fined 3000 million yen.
Due to mid-career hires from competitors and the influx of trade secrets,The company you transfer to is itself subject to criminal penalties.This is a case where that happened.

In this seminar, lawyer Naoki Kurokawa, who was directly in charge of the 2023 amendment to the Unfair Competition Prevention Act and the revision of the trade secret management guidelines at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, will begin...Starting with a thorough explanation of the fundamentals, such as "What exactly is a trade secret?", I will then discuss in detail the design philosophy of the system and its pitfalls in practice, which I can only convey from my position as someone who was in charge of legal revisions and guideline revisions, initial response in the event of an incident, the realities of police cooperation, and the systems that should be established even during peacetime. international success.
Additionally, Attorney Mori, former head of the Intellectual Property High Court, will discuss issues from the perspective of the court.
Our guest will be Mr. Keisuke Yuzawa, General Manager of the Legal Department at Kobe Steel, Ltd.Next, we will hear about the challenges and issues faced in the field regarding contamination prevention.

The content is easy to understand even for those without legal expertise, so legal and general affairs personnel, as well as those dealing with trade secrets for the first time, can participate with confidence.
It's too late to act "after something happens." Take this opportunity to review your company's trade secret management practices.

Main topics

• What exactly is a trade secret? — The basics of the three requirements and the pitfalls of "unprotected secrets"
• What constitutes "leakage" or "inflow" of trade secrets? — A look at the legal risks and business impacts.
• Initial response to an incident: What to do and what not to do.
• The reality of police cooperation: When and how to initiate criminal charges.
• Systems that should be established during peacetime: Key points for contracts, regulations, and employee training
  *The contents may change on the day. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Following the seminar, we are planning a social gathering where attendees can ask questions and exchange information directly with each other and with the講師 (lecturer). We look forward to seeing you there.

Your First Class

[If participating at the venue]
Those who can participate at the venueApplication formOnly those who have requested to participate in person will be able to attend.
If the number of applicants exceeds the capacity, we will hold a lottery. Successful applicants will be notified by email, and unsuccessful applicants will be sent an email with the online streaming URL attached.

*If you are attending in person, we will ask you to submit a business card at the reception.

Date and Time: Tuesday, April 29, 2026, 15:00-17:30 (tentative) (Social gathering from 16:30-17:30)
·venue:Mimura Komatsu Law Firm(Meiji Seimei Kan ６th Floor,２-１-１ Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo）
・Capacity: 30 people (first come, first served)　　　

[If you are participating online:
The participation URL will be sent to the email address you provided in the Google Form by the day before the event. Please join when the time comes. This will be a viewing-only event; you will not need to operate your microphone or camera.
Please install the Zoom app in advance.

Date and time: Tuesday, April 29, 2026, 15:00-16:30 (scheduled) 
・Capacity: 150 people

▼Event Overview
• Title: "Leaking it is bad. Letting it in is bad. ~The reality and practical aspects of trade secret risk~"
・Program: 14:30-15:00 Doors open
　　　　　　　15:00-15:05 Greetings
　　　　　　　15:05-16:10 Seminar (Lecturers: Naoki Kurokawa / Keisuke Yuzawa, General Manager, Legal Department, Kobe Steel, Ltd. / Yoshiyuki Mori)
　　　　　　　16:10-16:30 Q&A　　 
　　　　　　　16:30-17:30 Social gathering (only for those attending the event)

[Seminar registration benefits]
The following document files and video link URLs will be sent to the email address you registered for this seminar, exclusively for those who have registered.
• Presentation materials (excerpt)
• Seminar videos (with viewing period restrictions)

・ Participation fee: Free
• Target audience: Legal, general affairs, and human resources personnel who want to prepare for the risks of information theft by former employees and information intrusion by new hires.
　　　　　・For those who want to know the initial response procedures and police cooperation flow in the event of an actual incident.
　　　　　・Those who want to review their normal operations, such as confidentiality agreements, internal regulations, and employee training.
　　　　　・For those who want to understand what is legally protected as a "trade secret"
　　　　　*Lawyers are not permitted to participate.

Your First Class

·inquiry:Mimura Komatsu Law Firm　Email: info＠mktlaw.jp

▼Instructor profile

Naoki Kurokawa(Naoki Kurokawa)
Lawyer/Patent Attorney
I worked for four years as a fixed-term public servant in the Intellectual Property Policy Office of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, where I was directly involved in the formulation of intellectual property policies, including the 2023 amendment to the Unfair Competition Prevention Act and the revision of the Trade Secret Management Guidelines (2025).
He is active in both research and practical work, including speaking at international symposiums on trade secret protection held overseas and symposiums organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Foreign Affairs Division, and writing articles for specialized journals such as NBL.
He currently also works as an investigator for the Civil Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Justice.

Keisuke Yuzawa
Manager, Legal Department, Kobe Steel, Ltd. / New York State Attorney
He joined Kobe Steel, Ltd. in 1992 and spent 26 years in the Intellectual Property Department, handling joint research and development agreements and international licensing agreements. He obtained an LL.M. in the United States and is admitted to the New York State Bar. He moved to the Legal Department in 2018 and currently holds his present position.
He regularly speaks at organizations such as the Japan Intellectual Property Association, the Japan Licensing Association, and the Management Law Association, on topics such as confidentiality management and unfair competition prevention law, and has also contributed articles to publications such as "Intellectual Property Management" and "NBL." He currently serves as a steering committee member for the Osaka branch of the Management Law Association.

Yoshiyuki Mori(Yoshiyuki Mori)
He graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Tokyo in 1979. From 1981, he served as an assistant judge at the Tokyo District Court, among other positions. From 1986 to 1987, he studied in the UK as an overseas research fellow for assistant judges. He has served as chief judge at the Osaka District Court (Administrative and Tax Division), the Nagoya District Court (Administrative and Intellectual Property Division), and the Tokyo District Court (Intellectual Property Division). He has also served as a research officer for the Supreme Court and as a chief judge at the Intellectual Property High Court. In 2026, he joined Mimura Komatsu Law Offices. As a judge, he has been involved in trials in various fields, including administration, taxation, intellectual property, and transportation, for many years.

【2026.7.24】【2026.8.31 Update】

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