Tokyo – The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., today announced the successful completion of its efforts to eliminate counterfeit aluminum wheels in China.

Yokohama Rubber filed a complaint and submitted information to the Guangzhou Bureau of Public Security in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, regarding a distributor of counterfeit sports car aluminum wheels imitating YOKOHAMA’s "ADVAN Racing" wheels. The distributor was selling the counterfeit goods via internet shopping sites and retail shops outside of the Company’s official distribution channels. Acting upon the complaint and information provided by the Company, the Guangzhou Bureau of Public Security seized over 1,000 counterfeit aluminum wheels on April 1, 2013. On August 19, 2014, Yokohama Rubber confirmed that the Intermediate People's Court of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province fined and sentenced the counterfeit product distributor to serve time in prison.

Yokohama Rubber is resolute in its stance against the infringement of intellectual property rights, including the sale of counterfeit goods. The Company will remain vigilant against such illegal activities, whether they occur in Japan or other countries, as part of its efforts to ensure that customers feel secure in using YOKOHAMA products.