ASICS Settles an Indonesian Trademark Dispute Through DJKI Mediation

By Imaduddin

Photo: Adamsov / Pixabay

A trademark dispute between ASICS Corporation and an Indonesian shoe retailer has been settled through mediation at the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DJKI). The parties signed a mediation record (Berita Acara Mediasi) at DJKI's office in Jakarta on 7 October 2026.

According to DJKI, the dispute concerned the alleged circulation and distribution of ASICS-branded shoes that were suspected not to be genuine. The other party was a local shoe retailer, represented by its owner. ASICS was represented by lawyers from Hadiputranto, Hadinoto & Partners. Mediation sessions took place on 15, 22 and 30 September 2026, with two DJKI mediators.

DJKI has not published the terms. It said the parties will set out the agreed points in more detail in a settlement agreement, and that once the agreed obligations have been carried out, the complaint filed with DJKI's civil servant investigators (PPNS) will be withdrawn.

The mediation was run under a Director General guideline, No. HKI-KI.08.03-11 of 2026, signed on 1 September 2026, and a standard operating procedure for handling mediation requests based on complaint reports, effective the same day. The acting Director of Law Enforcement, Arie Ardian Rishadi, described mediation as a way for parties to resolve IP disputes without going straight to litigation.

The legal basis is already in the Marks Law. Article 93 of Law No. 20 of 2016 allows parties to settle disputes through arbitration or alternative dispute resolution, and the Elucidation lists mediation as one option. Criminal trademark offences under Articles 100 to 102 are complaint-based offences (Article 103), so a complaint can be withdrawn once a settlement is reached.

For foreign brand owners, the case shows a practical route against small retailers selling suspected fakes. A complaint to DJKI's investigators can lead to a supervised mediation, with withdrawal of the complaint used as leverage to secure the retailer's commitments. It works best where the brand owner holds an Indonesian registration and keeps evidence of the goods it believes are not genuine.

Sources

• DJKI, "Berita Acara Mediasi ASICS Ditandatangani, Para Pihak Sepakat Damai" (7 October 2026), in Indonesian
• DJKI, "DJKI Fasilitasi Selesainya Sengketa Merek ASICS, Para Pihak Sepakat Damai" (2 October 2026), in Indonesian
• RRI, "Kemenkum Fasilitasi Penyelesaian Sengketa Merek ASICS Melalui Mediasi", in Indonesian
• Law No. 20 of 2016 on Marks and Geographical Indications, English translation (ARISE+ / EU)