Updated June 17, 2026
The trademark system protects marks used for goods and services, maintaining users’ business goodwill and protecting consumers. Japan introduced improvements such as a consent system in April 2024.
Registration Requirements
01
Distinctiveness
Able to distinguish one’s goods/services from others’.
02
First-to-file
For identical/similar marks, the first to file registers.
03
No grounds for refusal
Not a mark that harms public interest or others’ interests.
Procedure from Filing to Registration
1
Filing
Submit request (mark and designated goods/services)
2
Substantive examination~6–10 months after filing
Reviews distinctiveness, prior applications, grounds for refusal
3
Office Action & response
Reply by arguments/amendments (if any)
4
Decision to grant
Trademark allowed
5
Registration
Pay fees (10 years or 5-year installments) → registered & published
6
OppositionWithin 2 months of publication
Anyone may file an opposition
Key Systems to Know
Term & renewal
10 years from registration; renewable, effectively perpetual.
New types of marks
Color, sound, motion, hologram and position marks are protected (introduced 2015).
Consent system
With the prior owner’s consent, a similar later mark may be co-registered (introduced April 2024).
Madrid international filing
File and manage in many countries via the Madrid Protocol.
Regional collective marks
Protects collective marks combining a region name and product name.
Recent Developments (2024)
2024
Consent system introduced
Effective April 1, 2024. With consent of the prior/later owners, co-registration of similar marks is allowed.
2024
Relaxed rules for names
The requirement to obtain consent from all persons with the same name was relaxed, enabling registration under certain conditions.