Samsung SDI Co, the world's second-largest plasma-display maker, had its panels barred from entering Japan by customs officials acting on a complaint from Fujitsu Ltd that the screens use technology that infringes its patents.
The ban is effective for two years from yesterday, said a Tokyo Customs Headquarters public relations executive who declined to be identified. The customs action was reported yesterday morning in Japan's Mainichi newspaper.
Lawsuits were filed by Tokyo-based Fujitsu in the US and Japan earlier this month against Samsung Electronics and its units, including Samsung Japan Corp and Samsung SDI.
Samsung SDI expected the move "as it's part of the routine process after Fujitsu's complaint," said Bryan Sohn, a spokesman for Samsung SDI in Seoul.
Fujitsu makes plasma-display panels and has said it holds about 800 patents for the screens. It has licensing agreements on plasma-display patents with Japanese companies such as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co and Pioneer Corp.
Fujitsu sought an injunction earlier this month against the import and sale of Samsung's plasma panels in Japan.
Samsung SDI in March asked a US district court to nullify patents held by Fujitsu related to plasma-display technology, a legal document showed. Samsung SDI also sought an injunction in March against Fujitsu and its affiliates barring them from suing SDI on at least eight patents, according to the document.
Global revenue from plasma displays jumped 84 percent to US$1.87 billion in the first quarter, compared with US$1.01 billion a year earlier, El Segundo, California-based technology researcher Isuppli Corp said in a quarterly report on Tuesday. Shipments more than doubled to 477,000 units from 207,000 screens a year earlier, it said.
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