Chinese trademark authorities, responding to a request from Tokyo, rejected applications to register eight prefectural names in Japan as brands for agricultural and other products, the Japan Patent Office reported, according to the Japan Times.

The decision reflects a change in China's stance on the registration of Japanese prefectural and city names without their consent, the newspaper reported.

The eight prefecture names that were in question are Nagano, Shizuoka, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Kagawa, Fukuoka and Kagoshima.

An increasing number of individuals and companies in China have been trying to register Japanese prefectural and city names as brands for beverages, drugs, clothing and other products, the newspaper reported.

(Source: China Daily)