Members of Japan's Straight Edge community have launched a petition to oppose the trademarking of the term "Straight Edge" by a Japanese fashion brand. The petition and awareness campaign was launched by by members of Brave Out, True Fight, Otus, and Inside, as well as members of Brightside Booking, It's For Life Booking, and Back Yard Zine.
The controversy began following the April 2026 announcement of a new apparel brand under the name "STRAIGHT EDGE," led by Japanese celebrity comedian and entrepreneur Akihiro Nishino and business partner Kazuya Hiroe. In April 2026, Nishino was announced as the CNO (Chief Nishino Officer) for a new apparel brand named "STRAIGHT EDGE," alongside representative Kazuya Hiroe. An inquiry into the new brand showed that trademark applications had been filed in 2024 under the numbers 2024-135149 and No. 2025-037405) had been filed, seeking to monopolize the term for commercial use in Japan.
The new brand provides the following summary of their choice of name:
"Straight Edge" is a set of values that emerged as an antithesis to hedonistic lifestyles involving alcohol and drugs, and is one of the core ideologies of punk culture. Based on this ideology, the brand was conceived with the starting point of "seriously overturning concepts through fashion."
Inspired by the functionality of military wear, it is reconstructed as streetwear designed to "fight" in urban life.
The petition, hosted on Change.org, argues that the move constitutes a "privatization of culture" and disregards forty years of historical and ideological significance.
The organizers are currently gathering signatures and historical evidence—including magazines and records—to file a formal "Notice of Opposition" with the Japan Patent Office. They urge the international community to support the protection of cultural heritage against corporate overreach.
