crime

3 arrested for tweaking Denny’s logo for sexual service company

30 Comments
By Casey Baseel

Three men in Japan have been arrested for appropriating the Denny's restaurant’s logo for their sexual services company.

On June 11, Nagano Prefectural Police arrested Seiji Shiraishi, a 44-year-old resident of Ueda City. Arrested along with Shiraishi were two of his employees at the company “Deliy’s.”

Deliy’s, which started operations in May 2013, is in the line of business known in Japan as “delivery health.” That description may cause you to think Deliy’s has a roster of personal trainers or convalescent nurses whom they send to your door to help get you off the couch and into your running shoes, or perhaps that they have a fleet of trucks that drop off containers of tofu and wheat germ at people’s homes.

The truth isn’t quite as wholesome as any of that, however.

Delivery health refers to the practice of deploying women to a client’s home or hotel room, nominally for sensual massage and various sexual services. These skirt Japan’s anti-prostitution laws since full-on intercourse is ostensibly not offered, but seeing as how there are no authorities present when the deal goes down, there’s no way to confirm clients and providers aren’t doing the deed regardless.

One thing that can be confirmed, though, is the logo that Deliy’s has been using. The top line of text reads, “The spot where men can blow off steam,” which is kind of ironic considering that part of the delivery health system is that the customer provides his own room. The bottom is simply Deliy’s written in Japanese script.

Police arrested Shiraishi and his associates on suspicion of trademark violation.

Source: 47 News

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Denny’s Japan to serve ‘the most delicious food in the world’ -- We resist the urge to climb Denny’s Japan’s Tower Pancake so we can eat it instead -- We have an American sample Denny’s 40th anniversary American Fair menu

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30 Comments
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Whats the charge? Yeah, this is copyright infringement, but how does this deserve jail time. Warn them. fine them, tell them to take it down and not use it anymore, but arrest them? Really?

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Deliy’s, the only place to get a Grand Slam in Japan.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

LOL. Release them and arrest real criminals.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

So many double entendres in this article. Well played JT.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Technically, not copyright infringement. Trademarks, copyrights and patents all protect different things.

A copyright protects an original artistic or literary work; a patent protects an invention.

A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.

Just saying

5 ( +6 / -1 )

@JTDanMan

The point is, they should have got a cease and desist order, and given the opportunity stop whatever they are doing. Its a victimless crime, no one is going to go a "Deliys" and order a pancake, nor is anyone going to go to a Denny's and order a B... J..., so there is no point in this arrest. Let em go! Let em go!!!

0 ( +1 / -2 )

"No one is going to go a "Deliys" and order a pancake,"

I would! ;)

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This is hilarious!!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Brilliant marketing. Just... copyright infringement

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

This is so common in Japan I'm surprised people think they can get away with it and even more so that they do.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I agree with Mirai. This doesn't seem like an arrestable offense. Sure, Denny's has every right to sue in civil court, but arrests? Seems like overkill. In all likelihood, there's some minutia in the Japanese criminal code that explains why an arrest was warranted.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

This is pretty funny.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Well, I am glad that mt JT icon does not look like a Family restaurant sign!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Wouldn't that be trademark, rather than copyright, infringement?

Agreed with all above that this is a civil, rather than criminal matter.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Hmmmm. Makes me wonder what could be done with other family restaurant logos. Saizeriya (for the chubbier product). Gusto (tastes good). Bamiyan (need I say more). cocos (likewise). and finally Big Boy (good for the ego).

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Not a criminal offense. Let Denny's sue. I'm offended that my taxes are going to fund such a frivolous use of police resources.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Go to Ueno and arrest those Chinese who sale fake Vuitton bags ....

1 ( +1 / -0 )

how about Sukiya?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Amazing the lengths the system will go to hide the fact that prostitution is rampant despite the laws in place against it, but then will arrest people for simply copying a sign IN THE NAME OF a place of prostitution.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I would be disappointed to find it wasn't a real "Deli". The art of good sandwich making has yet to be mastered in Japan, IMO.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Police arrested Shiraishi and his associates on suspicion of trademark violation.

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Does police have authority to enforce trademark violation? Does Denny;s Logo has TM or (R) on its logo?

More likely, its seedy operation ad written in Japanese. Did Denny asked to arrest them?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Toshiko

There should be no arrest PERIOD....this is not a criminal offense. They should be fined, or maybe forced to shut down operations, but that's it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Mirai: Strange local police arrested for Trademark violation. DA office is not going to handle this case. they can not.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Does police have authority to enforce trademark violation?

If the company getting dissed has $50Bn domestic turnover alone, cops jump.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

They had a Penny's in Hiratsuka ( not sure if it's still there) looked exactly like a Denny's sign. It was also a sexual service company.. I'm not sure what makes them think that a Denny's sign would make for a good rip off.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Excellent point, cuteausgirl!! What exactly is it about the Denny's sign that could attract business?? I personally do not feel any sexy urges when viewing its bright red-and-yellowness, and less when contemplating what is on the usual menu.

Hash browns and eggs sunny side up and cheap coffee do not quite put me in the mood.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The issue of trademark was only an excuse to go after the company for skirting the anti-prostitution laws. They company must have been too open about their dealings which irritated the locals or they became too big for their own britches flaunting their success and the police were encouraged to put an end to their lust for the good life.

This is the modus operandi of the government when dealing with organizations that step too far out of line and don't follow the established way of doing things. The Denny's sign is only a cover story and the media know better and they just don't press the police for their real motives which means performing actual journalism work which they are allergic too!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

They forgot to pay of some people?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The logo design and the artwork is the intellectual property of the copyright and/or trademark holder as convenience for lawful use with proper permission from the copyright and/or trademark holder only.

Since above logo does not have Denny;s written, it seems that it is nothing to do with tradfemark infringement that

When violaters get caught, usually lawsuits, not in jail.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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