Manila, Feb. 17 -- The Philippines and Japan have partnered to intensify the country's efforts to combat counterfeit goods, especially in identifying fake Japanese products in the local market.

In a statement Monday, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Japan Patent Office (JPO), and member companies of the International Intellectual Property Protection Forum (IIPPF) trained members of the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) to improve market monitoring and enforcement operations.

This, as Japanese companies show increasing interest in the Philippine market expansion and they want to protect the intellectual property rights of these Ja...