Ivy Cosmetics Corporation resolved to sue Kao Corporation. The lawsuit will target Kao Corporation's SOFINA BASIC+, seeking an injunction and partial damages for trademark infringement and violation of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act, to be filed with the Tokyo District Court.
On 29 September 2026, Ivy Cosmetics Corporation resolved to file a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court against Kao Corporation, alleging trademark infringement and violation of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act. The target is SOFINA BASIC+, which Kao Corporation launched on 8 August of the same year, and the claim seeks ¥12 million in partial damages in addition to an injunction against the use of the product name.
BASIC+ was launched in March 2025, and cumulative shipments have exceeded 300,000 units, making it the brand with the highest annual shipments among the company's skincare brands. Ivy Cosmetics Corporation holds Trademark Registration No. 6933166, which was filed in October 2024 and registered in May 2025.
In June 2026, Kao Corporation announced that it would launch SOFINA BASIC+ on 8 August and indicated plans to expand its recognition as a new product line in the lower price range. Kao Corporation holds Trademark Registration No. 6986088 for SOFINA BASIC+, having filed the trademark application in May 2025 and obtained registration in November of the same year.
The lawsuit sets up a dispute between two companies holding registered trademarks over the same name. The legal determination of whether the product labeling and name have been used appropriately is expected to be a focus going forward for Kao Corporation.