Samsung filed a lawsuit in Tokyo yesterday requesting a reversal of a Japanese ban on the import of plasma display panels made by the South Korean electronics giant.

　　The tokyo District Court lawsuit is the latest in an ongoing legal battle between Samsung and electronics maker Fujitsu over patents for plasma displays.

　　Yesterday's move by Samsung Japan Corp, a trading company in Tokyo that's part of the Samsung group, also included a request for the Tokyo District Court to check into whether Samsung panels constitute patent violations.

　　On wednesday, Japanese customs officials banned the import of Samsung panels in response to Fujitsu's April 6 lawsuit filed in the Tokyo court and the US District Court in Los Angeles, which accused Samsung of patent violations. Fujitsu is seeking an unspecified amount in damages in those lawsuits.

　　"Most people would feel that suspending imports ahead of a court ruling is going too far," said Maria Lee, spokeswoman for Samsung Japan. "It's comparable to arresting somebody because that person is likely to become a criminal."

　　(The Associated Press)