“Omoshiro Koibito” (Funny lover) is a sweet sold as a Kansai souvenir by Yoshimoto Club Co., Ltd.. Sales began in July 2010 at Yoshimoto Kogyo's theaters and JR Shin-Osaka Station, and sales channels have expanded to Tokyo. 

In response to this, in November 2011, Ishiya Confectionery Co., Ltd., the manufacturer and distributor of the famous Hokkaido souvenir "Shiroi Koibito"(White lover), that started selling in 1976, announced that "Omoshiroi Koibito" was an imitation of its own product. They filed a lawsuit against Yoshimoto Kogyo, seeking an injunction to stop the sale of products and the use of packaging. 

Furthermore, in January 2012, the company filed a claim for damages of 120 million yen, but negotiations between the two companies proceeded with a settlement recommendation from the court. As a result, in February 2013, a settlement was reached under conditions such as changing the package of "Omoshiroi Koibito" and restricting it to sales mainly in the Kansai region.

This is how parody-like products are handled under the Japanese Trademark Law and Unfair Competition Prevention Law. Do you have some other examples like that? Share in the comments!

Omoshiroi koibito photo: http://www.santa.ne.jp/omoshiroikoibito/about.html
Shiroi koibito photo: https://shop.ishiya.co.jp/collections/shiroi-koibito