Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property Protection Initiatives

The Yamaha Group believes that proper protection and use of intellectual property is essential for accelerating innovation and inspiring creativity and make social development faster and healthier. Based on this belief, the Group has proceeded to protect its business through the proactive acquisition and utilization of intellectual property rights. We have also been fostering a culture of respecting the intellectual property rights of others and developing an organization that is built on this respect.

The Yamaha Group has established the Group Intellectual Property Policies & Rules to define its basic policies for the management of intellectual property. These polices guide our proactive efforts to acquire, protect, and utilize important intellectual property rights created during the course of our business activities, such as those pertaining to new technological concepts, designs, products, or services. At the same time, we view respect for the intellectual property rights of others as a basic principle, and the Compliance Code of Conduct contains stipulations pertaining to the protection of such intellectual property rights, which are faithfully observed. Through the efficient and effective management of intellectual property rights, we strive to maximize the earnings generated by our intellectual property. Meanwhile, we are exhaustive in our efforts to minimize risks associated with intellectual property rights in order to improve the economic viability of management while ensuring social responsibility.

Furthermore, regulations and bonus systems are in place with regard to the rights (patents, designs, etc.) to new inventions produced as part of work. The Yamaha Group also holds educational sessions for employees to ensure they are able to appropriately use intellectual property held by the Group or other parties. In addition to training upon hiring, Yamaha Corporation is enhancing its intellectual property literacy through training on intellectual property strategies, patents, copyrights, and other topics for development and marketing divisions as these topics are closely related to the duties of these divisions.

Patents

The Yamaha Group has formulated a patent strategy to match the characteristics of its business projected over the medium to long term based on analysis of patent data and other information, and is working to drive the creation of new value and build a strong patent portfolio to protect this value. By implementing this strategy, we are supporting efforts to obtain intellectual property as needed to contribute to business growth in conjunction the business strategies of relevant divisions and to create new value using intellectual property information.

Furthermore, we are utilizing AI tools to improve the accuracy of intellectual property surveys and raise intellectual property literacy in order to enhance intellectual property risk management in relation to new product development and other areas.

In addition, new standards have been developed for use in assessing the current state of utilization and future business possibilities of all patent rights retained in Japan and overseas for the purpose of heightening investment benefits. These standards will be used to make rational decisions for promoting appropriate intellectual property management and for contributing to the development of unique Yamaha products and to the establishment of a competitive advantage.

By optimizing our intellectual property portfolio and number of held rights, we seek to improve the value of our intellectual property. The total number of patents and utility models for practical use held by the Yamaha Group in Japan as of March 31, 2025, was 2,012. The total number held overseas, principally in the United States, Europe, and China, was 2,635 on March 31, 2025, making a global total of 4,676.

Designs

The Yamaha Group views designs as an important element of product differentiation, and we are promoting the appropriate protection and use of designs through design rights and other intellectual property rights accordingly. As part of these efforts, the Group has been ramping up the acquisition and exercise of design rights in countries and regions where there are many victims of counterfeiting. Designs have become an increasingly important element of branding in recent years, and strategies for acquiring design rights are being advanced based on this trend.

As of March 31, 2025, we held 1,639 design rights, with 592 in Japan and 1,047 overseas.

Copyrights

In addition to patents, designs, and trademarks, the Yamaha Group has produced a large number of copyrighted works in the sound, music, and other fields. Music-related copyrights are a particularly important form of intellectual property, and the Group manages and utilizes these rights, taking legal action when necessary. Meanwhile, steps are taken to ensure the proper use of copyrighted works by improving intellectual property literacy at Group companies via the preparation of guidelines and the provision of internal training.

Trademarks (Brands)

Yamaha’s logo has been an important asset, and a symbol of our responsibility toward customers and society, since the establishment of the Company. The Yamaha Group has implemented rules governing brand display methods and is working to improve brand value through appropriate use based on management standards related to Yamaha brands and under the guidance of the Brand Strategy Committee, a Companywide brand management organization. Furthermore, the Yamaha Group has trademarked its brand in almost every part of the world and conducts preliminary surveys and acquires rights via the appropriate methods for the names of its products, services, and technologies.

As of March 31, 2025, the Yamaha Group held 2,397 trademarks in Japan and 8,382 trademarks overseas, which combined make for a global total of 10,779 trademarks.

Counterfeit Product Countermeasures

Through ongoing countermeasures for combating unauthorized usage of Group intellectual property and counterfeit products, issues that are on the rise across the globe, the Yamaha Group continues to take action against these problems in order to eliminate the economic disadvantage for consumers while ensuring safety and maintaining trust in the Yamaha brand. In China, we are stepping up measures, including filing lawsuits and requesting administrative disciplinary action, to combat the recent trend toward the sale of counterfeit products over the internet and social media. We take swift action to address such violations of our intellectual property rights via coordination with local Group companies.

Employee Education

The Yamaha Group conducts employee education programs to promote the appropriate use and management of intellectual property.

In addition to holding annual in-house copyright seminars targeting intellectual property representatives, we regularly conduct study sessions that are specially tailored for specific divisions and Group companies.

In fiscal 2025, a total of six training sessions on intellectual property strategies were held for development and planning and marketing divisions. These training sessions, which saw aggregate participation by 290 employees, provided insight on the importance of initiatives that position intellectual property as an investment to improve cost performance and of enhancing intellectual property functions pertaining to services.

The trainings helped deepen understanding of intellectual property strategies and even led to the creation of new inventions. Furthermore, Yamaha Group employees are supplied with educational content providing basic knowledge on copyrights, patents, and trademarks as part of our efforts to raise intellectual property literacy and ensure employees are equipped with the knowledge needed to perform their duties.