Japanese Meat Magnate Trademarks "High School Girl"

Katherine Mangu-Ward | February 7, 2008

Just when you thought Japan couldn't get any weirder:

Meat product manufacturer Ito Ham has taken the Japanese schoolgirl obsession to the next level by applying for the trademark rights to the word “High School Girl” (女子高生/Joshi-Kosei).

A pair of trademark applications (via the INPIT database) indicate that Ito Ham is planning a line of High School Girl® meat products, including meat pies, gyoza dumplings, pizza, curry and more. Either that, or someone in the office is just having fun.

The phrase "high school girl" is already a commonly used phrase in Japan (to say the least), so it's not clear that the trademark will be granted. Still, you have to the admire the appropriately-named meat magnate Mr. Ito Ham for trying.

To review: Japanese schoolgirls. Trademark law. Discuss.

Via the always-reliable source Pink Tentacle