Karimi & Associates Law Firm represents, according to The Japan Times:
Nippon Steel Corp, a Japanese steel company, stated that it has sued one of its major customers, Toyota Motor Corp., and Chinese steel maker Baoshan Iron & Steel Co., claiming infringement of a patent related to an important steel product for electric vehicles.
The Japanese steel-maker has further said it is seeking compensation totaling ¥20 billion ($176 million) from each company. Moreover, it has asked the Tokyo District Court for an injunction to forbid Toyota from manufacturing and selling its electrified vehicles made with motors using nonoriented electrical steel sheets that are suspected of violating Nippon Steel’s patent in Japan. The details of the requested injunction, such as targeted brands or the number of vehicles it covers, have not been disclosed by Japan’s largest steel maker.
Nippon Steel has further stated that it had discussed the matter with both of the companies but failed to reach an amicable resolution, resulting in taking legal action to “protect its intellectual property rights.”
A Toyota spokesman said in a press release, “Such matters should be discussed between material manufacturers.” He further added, “We have learned of this lawsuit with great regret.”
The automaker said it had confirmed there was no patent violation with the Chinese material manufacturer before signing a contract for the nonoriented electrical steel sheets with Baoshan while also receiving a written statement from the Chinese manufacturer regarding the mentioned matter.