Rather suddenly (since 1990 or so), intellectual property rights have asserted their legal presence in countries throughout Asia. However - even though the TRIPs agreement has in many cases been the catalyst - their legal framework has come with complex, inescapable influences from Asian history, including religious factors, traditional bureaucracies, and the heritage of colonialism and communism. More often than not, it is these distinct cultural aspects that continue to raise difficulties for business people and their counsel as they seek to protect their intellectual property rights in these vibrant growing markets. This text is a country-by-country survey of the essentials of intellectual property law in the developed and developing nations of eastern and southern Asia. Separate chapters, each written by an authority or authorities in the law of the country he or she covers, clearly explain the intellectual property law regimes in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, The Philippines, Indonesia, and India.