Square Enix Files IP Infringement Suit Against French Company

Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. and Square Enix Co., Ltd. (collectively “Square Enix”), announced today that they had filed, on 28th May 2009 (French local time), a lawsuit in the Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris against la société SAKURA (“SAKURA”), a Paris-based company specialising in the importation/distribution of merchandise based on Japanese-produced content. Square Enix denounces SAKURA for the commercialisation of products counterfeiting Square Enix's FINAL FANTASY® and FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST® trademarks and copyrights to the FINAL FANTASY series.

The defendant SAKURA sells its products at a retail location going under the tradename of "KONCI" in Paris as well as via its Internet site, which Square Enix suspects of marketing pirated products all over the EU territory. In this lawsuit, Square Enix is seeking an injunction against the importation and distribution of pirated products, and compensation for potential damages arising from SAKURA's activities. The case is currently pending.

"We are actively pursuing those who commit intellectual property infringement against our company," said Yasuhiko Hasegawa, Square Enix's General Counsel. "In parallel with our campaign against the manufacturing, distribution and sale of counterfeits, we will continue to aggressively exercise our intellectual property rights, including the filing of lawsuits, to prevent any infringement of our rights involving the unauthorised use of our games, music, movies, images, and other elements protected by intellectual property law."

While Square Enix will continue to take decisive action against infringement of its intellectual property rights, Square Enix will keep bringing its official merchandise to its fans in the European market. For more information about distribution of Square Enix's official merchandise in the European territory, please access the following URLs:

Square Enix is making a presentation at Japan Expo 2009 to take place in Paris from 2nd to 5th July 2009.

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