In 1987, Mr. Ryuka began his career as an electrical engineer in the facsimile machines department of Canon Inc. Five years later, he joined Tani & Abe Patent Attorneys in Tokyo, Japan, where he prosecuted patent applications of foreign and domestic applicants including Canon Inc.
From 1995 to 1998, Mr. Ryuka worked in the Washington, DC office of US firm Cushman Darby & Cushman (now Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP), where he mainly prosecuted patent applications for Japanese clients. At the same time, he established a patent firm in Japan and a translation company in the US, the predecessors to RYUKA & PARTNERS, facilitating business for Cushman Darby & Cushman. While in the US he passed the US patent bar exam.
Since founding RYUKA & PARTNERS, he has lectured extensively in Japan and abroad on IP topics, has published numerous articles including recently detailing RYUKA’s invention consulting services (Patent Visualization), and visits clients and attends conferences in the US, Europe, and Asia. Recent work in 2012 includes representing a large US client in nullity trials before the Japan IP High Court and Supreme Court, together with colleagues Mr. Akashi and Mr. Takata in cooperation with Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, and representing a large Korean client in infringement and nullity trials in cooperation with Anderson Mori & Tomotsune.
- Master of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 1987
- Bachelor of Engineering, Tohoku University, 1984
- Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA)
- Japan Intellectual Property Association (JIPA)
- Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA)
- International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI)
- Licensing Executives Society, Japan (LES, Japan)
- Electrical Information and Communication Society (EICS)
- American Bar Association (ABA)
- American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA): Japan Committee
- International Trademark Association (INTA)
- Patent Attorney (Japan)
- Certified to practice IP litigation in Japan
- Attorney at Law, California, USA