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The US and Singapore governments are near to formally signing the US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA). The USSFTA is the first of its kind that the US has entered into with a country in Asia since the US Congress passed the Trade Act of 2002. The US has entered into few other bilateral free trade agreements with countries, including Jordan and Israel, aside from its multilateral free trade partners Canada and Mexico in the North America Free Trade Agreement. Singapore has also only entered into a few other free trade pacts, including with Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the European Free Trade Association.

Japan’s trade mark law has evolved over 100 years as international trade has increased. Hidetake Sekine, of Tokyo Aoyama/Baker & McKenzie in Tokyo, reveals how it provides protection for famous foreign names

Rules for recognizing trade marks as well-known have only been introduced in Russia this year. Antti Papula and Riikka Palmos, of Nevinpat Russia in Helsinki, examine how they will work in practice

Ralph Cunningham, Hong Kong

Changes to Japan's patent law in the early months of 2004 will see lower fees in some cases and the abolition of the opposition system. The amendments to the invalidation appeal procedures are open to abuse and could end up harming patentees' rights, warn John Tessensohn and Shusaku Yamamoto

? China: The State Council unveiled a new statute on copyright protection of computer software on January 11. The new legislation, which runs to 33 articles, states that an individual software developer shall retain his copyright throughout his life and for 50 years after his death.

? China: The State Council unveiled a new statute on copyright protection of computer software on January 11. The new legislation, which runs to 33 articles, states that an individual software developer shall retain his copyright throughout his life and for 50 years after his death.

Is legal protection for IP owners keeping pace with technology? With the perils of online business increasing every day, Emily Downes investigates what keeps rights owners awake at night

Judging what intellectual property a firm should protect, when and to what extent, are all critical questions for any technology-based venture - as the current Blackberry case demonstrates all too well. Stephen Bates reports

Once considered an easy target for western companies seeking to assert their patents, Asian companies from Japan to Taiwan are taking the initiative and negotiating some interesting licensing deals of their own. Emma Barraclough examines the trends