Chapter 1: Authoritative Sources and Information Channels

1.1 Japan Patent Office (JPO) Official Platforms

The Japan Patent Office (JPO), an external agency of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), is responsible for the examination and registration of trademarks in Japan. For trademark applicants, attorneys, and corporate IP managers, mastering the JPO's official platforms is the foundation of all Japanese trademark work.

1.1.1 JPO Website

The JPO official website (https://www.jpo.go.jp/) publishes laws and regulations, examination guidelines, fee schedules, annual statistics, and policy announcements. The English-language portal provides key information for foreign applicants, including the Trademark Act, Examination Guidelines for Trademarks, and the Manual for Trademark Applications.

1.1.2 J-PlatPat

J-PlatPat (https://www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/) is the JPO's comprehensive industrial property information platform, launched in March 2015. It provides free access to trademark gazettes, application status, registration information, trial and appeal decisions, and legal status data. J-PlatPat supports both simple and advanced search modes and covers all trademark-related JPO databases in a single interface.

1.1.3 e-Tokkyo Online Filing System

e-Tokkyo (https://www.e-tokkyo.jp/) is the JPO's electronic filing system for trademark applications, registrations, renewals, and other procedural requests. Electronic filing is mandatory for applicants domiciled in Japan and available to foreign applicants through the Madrid Protocol or local counsel.

1.2 International Trademark Databases

In addition to JPO platforms, the following international tools are widely used in practice: TMview (https://www.tmview.europa.eu/) provides access to trademark data from JPO, EUIPO, USPTO, and other participating offices; WIPO Global Brand Database (https://branddb.wipo.int/) covers Madrid Protocol international registrations; and the Madrid Monitor tracks international applications designating Japan.

1.3 Laws, Guidelines, and Case Law Sources

The primary legislation is the Trademark Act (Act No. 127 of 1959, as amended) and its Enforcement Regulations. The JPO's Examination Guidelines for Trademarks and the Trademark Examination Handbook provide detailed examination standards. Court decisions on trademark matters are searchable via the Supreme Court of Japan website and commercial databases such as D1-Law.com.

Having established where authoritative information can be found, the next chapter turns to what can actually be registered in Japan — the types of trademarks available and the end-to-end registration process.

Chapter 2: Overview of Japan Trademark Types and Registration Process

2.1 Japan Trademark Types

The Japanese Trademark Act recognizes several categories of marks, including traditional word and device marks as well as newer non-traditional mark types introduced by the 2015 and 2019 amendments.

2.1.1 Standard Marks (Word and Device Marks)

Standard trademarks include word marks (letters, characters, numerals), device marks (logos and graphical elements), and combined word-and-device marks. Word marks offer the broadest protection, covering the mark regardless of font, color, or presentation. Japan applies the first-to-file principle, making early filing strategically important.

2.1.2 New Types of Trademarks

Following the April 2015 amendment, Japan accepts collective marks and regional collective trademarks. The 2019 amendment further introduced four new non-traditional mark types: color-only marks (single colors or color combinations without any shape), sound marks (audio signatures), motion marks (moving images), and hologram marks (three-dimensional holographic images). These new types require distinctive features and clear graphical or audio representation in the application.

2.1.3 Defensive Marks

A defensive mark system allows famous trademark owners to register their marks for goods or services outside their actual business scope, where the use of an identical or similar mark by others could cause confusion. A defensive mark registration requires proof that the applicant's mark is well known among consumers for the designated goods/services. Defensive marks are valid for 10 years and are renewable, and the registration fee is JPY 32,900 per class.

2.2 The Registration Process

The standard flow of a Japanese trademark application is: filing, formality examination, substantive examination, publication for opposition, registration, and gazette publication. Applications may designate multiple classes under a single filing (multi-class applications are allowed across the 45 classes of the Nice Classification). The average total pendency for general examination is approximately 7.3 months.

2.2.1 Accelerated Examination

Applicants can request accelerated examination if the mark is already in use or there is an urgent business need. In 2024, 8,138 accelerated examination requests were filed, an increase of 8.0% year-over-year, with registration achievable within approximately 2 months of the request.

2.2.2 Examination Outcomes

If no grounds for refusal are found, the JPO publishes the application in the Trademark Gazette and issues a registration decision. If grounds for refusal exist, the examiner issues a Notice of Rejection, to which the applicant may respond with arguments and/or amendments within the prescribed period.

Before filing, however, applicants must first understand whether their chosen mark can clear the existing register. Chapter 3 therefore examines trademark searching and risk assessment in Japan.