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Country trademark guide · Updated

Trademark registration in Japan

To register a trademark in Japan, you file with the Japan Patent Office (JPO) or designate Japan through the Madrid System. Japan is first-to-file, opposition comes after registration, and the registration fee is paid separately after allowance; applicants based outside Japan must appoint a Japanese representative.

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Five questions first

Which route?File directly with the JPO if you only need Japan or want flexibility with the goods; designate Japan through Madrid if you already have a home application or registration and want several countries.Details ↓What do I need?The applicant's name and address, the mark, and goods or services by Nice class in the wording of Japan's similar goods guidelines; if you claim priority, details of the earlier application.Details ↓How are official fees charged?JPY 3,400 plus JPY 8,600 per class at filing; after allowance, a registration fee of JPY 32,900 per class for 10 years, which can also be paid in two instalments.Details ↓How long does it take?Official statistics for fiscal year 2025: first examination result after 6.6 months on average, registration 7.5 months after filing; answering a notice of reasons for refusal adds time.Details ↓What are the main risks?Similarity to an earlier mark (goods with the same similar group code are presumed similar), lack of distinctiveness, and oppositions filed by third parties within 2 months after registration.Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in Japan: key facts

OfficeJapan Patent Office (JPO), under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
LawTrademark Act (Act No. 127 of 1959), with its Enforcement Order and Enforcement Regulations
Registration principleFirst-to-file; registration does not require prior use, but the mark must be one you use or intend to use in your own business
Madrid SystemMember since 14 March 2000; Japan can be designated through Madrid
Foreign applicantsApplicants with no domicile or place of business in Japan must act through a representative domiciled in Japan (a patent administrator, usually a Japanese patent attorney, or benrishi)
LanguageJapanese
Multi-class applicationsAllowed; official fees are charged per class
Examination time (official statistics)Fiscal year 2025: first examination result after 6.6 months on average; 7.5 months on average from filing to registration
Registration fee payment (statutory)Within 30 days of service of the decision to register; a 30-day extension can be requested. Pay 10 years at once, or in two instalments of 5 years each
Opposition (statutory)After registration: anyone can oppose within 2 months from the issue date of the Trademark Gazette publishing the registration
Term and renewal (statutory)10 years from registration; renew within the 6 months before expiry. Late renewal is possible within 6 months after expiry with a surcharge equal to the renewal fee (twice the renewal fee in total)
Non-useIf the mark is not used in Japan for 3 consecutive years or more, anyone can request a trial for cancellation
Official feesFiling: JPY 3,400 plus JPY 8,600 per class; registration fee: JPY 32,900 per class (in force since 1 April 2022)

Checked on 2026-10-06; general information only — the office's published rules and fees prevail.

Which route

Direct filing or a Madrid designation

Both routes lead to registration in Japan. They differ in prerequisites, how fees are paid, when you need a Japanese representative, and dependency risk.

ItemDirect filing with the JPOMadrid designation of Japan
PrerequisiteNoneA basic application or registration at your office of origin
Official feesFiling fee when you file; registration fee within 30 days of allowance (can be paid in two instalments)Basic fee and a Japanese individual fee (in Swiss francs; see the WIPO fee calculator) paid to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); for designations filed since 1 April 2023, paid in one go rather than in two parts
Goods and servicesBy Nice class, following Japan's Examination Guidelines for Similar Goods and Services; can be amended during examinationCannot go beyond the scope of the basic application; Japanese examination requirements also apply
Japanese representativeRequired from filing for applicants based abroadNot needed to file through WIPO; required once a provisional refusal from Japan has to be answered before the JPO
Responding to a refusalWithin the period set by the examiner; a 1-month extension can be requested, and a further 2-month extension within 2 months after the period expiresWithin 3 months from the provisional refusal notification, through a Japanese representative
Dependency riskNoneIf the basic application or registration is refused or cancelled within 5 years, the Japanese designation falls with it (it can be transformed into a Japanese national application within the set time limit)
Best forYou only need Japan; you want flexibility; you have no home filing to rely onYou already have a home filing and want protection in several countries

Not sure? Run a free search first, then submit an order online; the agent will recommend a route based on the search results.

What to prepare

Documents checklist

For a direct application to the JPO, prepare the following information and documents. Signed documents such as a power of attorney are provided following the agent's instructions.

Applicant

  • Name (for a company, its full legal name as registered, with an English version)
  • Domicile or business address
  • If you have a Japanese subsidiary or affiliate, say so early so the right applicant can be decided

The mark

  • Word mark: the wording; if you only need protection for the wording itself, you can file in standard characters
  • Figurative or combined mark: a clear image; for a mark in colour, file a colour image
  • Non-traditional marks such as three-dimensional, colour or sound marks: state the type of mark in the application

Goods and services

  • List them by Nice class, using the wording of Japan's Examination Guidelines for Similar Goods and Services where possible
  • Each item of goods or services carries a similar group code, which is the basis for assessing similarity
  • If the goods in one class span many similar groups, the examiner may ask you to explain your use or intended use

Filing basis

  • Earlier application filed abroad: priority can be claimed within 6 months; provide the details of the earlier application
  • Japan does not require evidence of use when you file

Japanese examination compares marks by appearance, pronunciation and meaning. A mark in Chinese characters or a foreign language will be read in Japanese, so search with its likely Japanese readings as well before filing.

How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct application with no reasons for refusal.

  1. Step 1

    Clearance search (recommended)

    Search J-PlatPat for similar marks and set the scope of goods by similar group code

  2. Step 2

    Filing

    File with the JPO through a Japanese representative and receive an application number; the application is published in the Trademark Gazette

  3. Step 3

    Substantive examination

    First examination result after 6.6 months on average (official statistics, fiscal year 2025)

  4. Step 4

    Responding to reasons for refusal

    If any: file a written opinion or amendment within the period set by the examiner; an extension can be requested

  5. Step 5

    Allowance and registration fee

    Pay the registration fee within 30 days of service of the decision to register (statutory); the mark is registered once the fee is paid

  6. Step 6

    Gazette publication and opposition

    Anyone can oppose within 2 months from the issue date of the Trademark Gazette (statutory)

Official statistics: in fiscal year 2025, registration took 7.5 months on average from filing. The mark is registered only after the registration fee is paid.

How to read the periods: "statutory" = set by law; "official statistics" = averages published by the office; "estimate" = typical cases. Actual timing varies.

How much

Official fees

Official fees in Japan are paid twice: a filing fee when you file (a basic amount per application plus an amount per class), and a registration fee per class after allowance. The table below shows the current JPO fees.

ItemChargedAmountApprox. USD
Paid on filing
Application fee (basic part)Per application3,400 JPY≈ USD 22
Application fee (per class)Per class8,600 JPY≈ USD 54
Paid on registration
Registration fee (payable on grant, 10 years in one payment, per class)Per class32,900 JPY≈ USD 208
Registration fee in instalments (per 5-year instalment, per class; first on grant, second before the 5th anniversary)Per class17,200 JPY≈ USD 109
Keeping the registration
Renewal fee (10 years in one payment, per class; an equal surcharge applies within 6 months after expiry)Per class43,600 JPY≈ USD 276
Renewal fee in instalments (per 5-year instalment, per class)Per class22,800 JPY≈ USD 144

Source: JPO Schedule of fees · current fees in force since 2022-04-01 · checked on 2026-10-06 · USD figures are approximate, converted at the Bank of China spot selling rate (or, for currencies it does not quote, at the central bank's published USD rate); the official fee is the amount in the original currency

Official fees are as published by the office; the service fee is quoted by an agent after you submit, and you pay only after accepting the quote.

Example: an application covering 2 classes costs JPY 3,400 + 2 × JPY 8,600 = JPY 20,600 in official fees at filing; paying the 10-year registration fee in one go after allowance adds 2 × JPY 32,900 = JPY 65,800, for JPY 86,400 in total. If you pay in instalments, you pay 2 × JPY 17,200 = JPY 34,400 after allowance and the same amount again before the end of the fifth year of registration.

Service fees, including the Japanese representative's fee, are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

Watch out

Rules specific to Japan and common refusals

These are the most common grounds for refusal in Japanese examination, along with Japan-specific rules that are easy to overlook.

Similarity to an earlier mark (Article 4(1)(xi))

The most common ground for refusal. Japan gives each item of goods or services a similar group code; items with the same code are, in principle, presumed similar, even if they fall in different classes. Searching by similar group code before filing greatly reduces this risk.

Lack of distinctiveness (Article 3)

Marks that directly indicate where the goods come from, their quality or their purpose are refused, as are common surnames and very simple letters. If the mark has been used for a long time, evidence of that use can support registration.

Confirmation of intention to use

Registration in Japan does not require prior use, but if the goods in one class span too many similar groups, the examiner asks for material showing current or planned use. List the goods that match your actual business.

Opposition after registration

Japan has no opposition period before registration. Within 2 months after the registration is published in the Trademark Gazette, anyone can file an opposition; if it succeeds, the registration is treated as never having existed. Keep watch during the first two months after registration.

Letters of consent (since 1 April 2024)

If your mark is refused as similar to someone else's earlier registered mark, it can still be registered if you obtain the earlier owner's consent and can show that the two marks will not be confused. The examiner decides case by case whether confusion is likely.

Cancellation for non-use

If a registered mark is not used in Japan for 3 consecutive years or more, anyone can request its cancellation. If a request is filed, you must prove use in Japan within the 3 years before the request was registered.

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After registration

Keeping the registration

A Japanese registration is renewed every 10 years. If you paid the registration fee in instalments, the second instalment is due before the end of the fifth year; miss a deadline and the right lapses.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee (per class)
Before the end of the fifth year after registration (instalment payers only)Pay the second instalment of the registration fee; it can still be paid within 6 months after the deadline with a surcharge of the same amount (twice the instalment in total)JPY 17,200
From 6 months before expiry to the expiry dateRenew, paying 10 years at onceJPY 43,600
Same period (instalments)Renewal fee paid in two instalments of 5 years eachJPY 22,800 per instalment
Within 6 months after expiryLate renewal: a surcharge equal to the renewal fee is addedTwice the renewal fee in total
Any timeRecord assignments and changes of name or address with the JPOVaries

Once registered, you can apply to Japan Customs for suspension of imports to stop infringing goods at the border; e-commerce brand registries usually also require a registered or pending trademark.

FAQ

Trademark registration in Japan

How much does a Japanese trademark cost?

Official fees are paid twice: JPY 3,400 plus JPY 8,600 per class at filing, then a registration fee of JPY 32,900 per class (10 years) after allowance, or two instalments of JPY 17,200 per class each. Service fees, including the Japanese representative's fee, are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

How long does trademark registration in Japan take?

According to JPO figures for fiscal year 2025, the first examination result takes 6.6 months on average and registration 7.5 months from filing. Answering a notice of reasons for refusal, or an opposition after registration, takes longer.

Can a foreign company or individual apply directly in Japan?

Yes, as the applicant. Anyone with no domicile or place of business in Japan must act through a representative domiciled in Japan, usually a Japanese patent attorney (benrishi).

Do I need to use the mark before applying in Japan?

No. Registration in Japan does not require prior use, and no evidence of use is filed with the application; the mark must, however, be one you use or intend to use in your business.

If the goods in one class span too many similar groups, the examiner may ask for material showing current or planned use. After registration, a mark not used in Japan for 3 consecutive years can be cancelled at anyone's request.

Is there an opposition period in Japan?

Yes, but after registration. Within 2 months after the registration is published in the Trademark Gazette, anyone can file an opposition. Japan does not invite oppositions during examination, so a search before filing matters even more.

Can the registration fee be paid in instalments?

Yes. Within 30 days of allowance you can pay 10 years at once, or pay the first 5 years and then the second 5 years before the end of the fifth year of registration. Instalments cost slightly more in total and suit marks whose long-term use is uncertain.

Other IP rights

Patents: Japanese patents are examined by the JPO. Patents for inventions last 20 years from the filing date, and PCT applications can enter the Japanese national phase.

Designs: for applications filed on or after 1 April 2020, design rights last 25 years from the filing date; Japan can also be designated through the Hague Agreement.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

IP news: Japan

Other countries and territories in the region

Republic of Korea　·　Mainland China　·　Hong Kong SAR　·　Taiwan region　·　Mongolia

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Order online · Japan trademark registration

Enter the mark, classes and applicant; an agent quotes after you submit. Once you accept the quote you pay online and can follow progress in your account.

Start your order (Japan selected) Get a trademark search report first

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Notice: the services described on this page are carried out by locally licensed partner firms; J&C is your point of contact and coordinates and delivers the work. Fees shown are estimates; official fees are those actually charged by the office and the final quote is confirmed by an agent. Examination times are set by each office and the outcome depends on official examination; we make no promise as to results. By submitting an order you agree that the information needed for the work is shared with the relevant partner firm (which may be outside your country). This page is general information, not legal advice.

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