Japan is one of the world's largest consumer markets and one of the most brand-aware. It is also a strict first-to-file country: the first party to file for a trademark generally gets the rights, whoever used it first. That makes registration with the Japan Patent Office (JPO) something to do before you launch, market, or ship to Japan, not after.
This guide walks through the JPO process in 2026, from clearance search to renewal, with the government fees, the timelines you can plan around, and the one issue that catches most foreign brands: Katakana. For a shorter overview with the same facts, see our Japan country guide.
What can be registered as a trademark in Japan?
The Japanese Trademark Act (Article 2) recognizes a wide range of signs:
Traditional trademarks
- Word marks: words, letters, or numerals. A word mark protects the text itself, in any font, style, or color, and gives the broadest protection.
- Figurative marks (logos): a design, stylized lettering, or a logo, alone or with text.
- Composite marks: a word element combined with a design. Protection covers the specific combination as a whole.
Non-traditional trademarks (accepted since the 2014 revision of the Act, in force from 2015)
- Color marks: a single color or combination, only where it has acquired distinctiveness through extensive use. This is a high bar.
- Sound marks: jingles or melodies, filed with a score or description and an audio file.
- Position marks: the specific placement of a trademark on a product, shown in drawings.
- Hologram marks and motion marks: signs that change with viewing angle or over time.
Most foreign brands file a word mark for the name and a figurative mark for the logo, and add non-traditional trademarks only where a sound or color is central to the brand.
Step-by-Step: How a Japanese Trademark Filing Runs
If you are not based in Japan, a qualified local attorney must act for you before the JPO. Our Japan trademark service covers that representation, and the whole process below, for a fixed fee.
Step 1: Clear the Trademark Before You File
Because Japan is first-to-file, this is the step that saves the most money. The JPO's free database, J-PlatPat, lists existing and pending trademarks, but an effective search has to cover:
- Identical word marks in Roman characters
- Phonetically similar trademarks, especially in Katakana (see below)
- Visually similar logos and designs
- Conceptually similar trademarks that evoke the same idea
Start with our free trademark check for a first read on your name, then let a qualified local attorney who reads Japanese run the full J-PlatPat clearance before you commit to filing.
Step 2: Prepare the Application
The application needs:
- The owner's full legal name and address
- The name and address of the Japanese representative (for foreign owners)
- A clear representation of the trademark: exact text for a word mark, a high-resolution image for a logo
- The Nice classes and a precise list of goods or services in each
The JPO is strict on specificity. Vague or overly broad descriptions are refused, and listing goods you will never sell only invites a non-use cancellation later. List what you intend to use in Japan.
Step 3: File With the JPO
On filing you receive an application number and a filing date. The filing date fixes your priority under the first-to-file rule.
The JPO filing fee is ¥3,400 plus ¥8,600 per class. A one-class application therefore costs the ¥3,400 request fee plus ¥8,600 for the class; a two-class application costs ¥20,600.
Step 4: Substantive Examination
A JPO examiner reviews the application for two groups of issues:
- Absolute grounds (Article 3): is the trademark distinctive? Generic terms ("SHOES" for footwear), descriptive terms ("SWEET" for sugar), common surnames, plain geographic names, and simple shapes are refused unless you can show acquired distinctiveness through use in Japan.
- Relative grounds (Article 4): does the trademark conflict with an earlier filing or registration, a well-known mark, public order, or another person's name or portrait?
Examination takes several months. The JPO publishes its current average pendency, and your representative will give you a realistic estimate at filing.
Step 5: Respond to Any Notification of Reasons for Refusal
It is common for the examiner to issue a "Notification of Reasons for Refusal," the Japanese equivalent of an office action. It is not a final rejection. Foreign owners typically have three months to respond by:
- Arguing that the objection is wrong
- Narrowing the list of goods and services to avoid a conflict
- Filing evidence of acquired distinctiveness if the refusal is for descriptiveness
A well-drafted response is often the difference between registration and final refusal, so this is where a representative who knows JPO practice earns their fee.
Step 6: Decision to Grant, Registration Fee, and Publication
If the examiner is satisfied, the JPO issues a decision to grant. You then pay the registration fee within 30 days; miss it and the application lapses.
The registration fee for a 10-year term is ¥32,900 per class. The JPO also allows the fee to be paid in two five-year installments, with the second due before the end of the first five years.
Once the fee is paid, the trademark is registered and published in the Trademark Gazette. Publication opens a two-month opposition period in which any third party can oppose. If no opposition is filed, or an opposition is overcome, the registration stands for 10 years from the registration date.
Japan Trademark Fee Schedule (JPO Government Fees)
| Fee | JPO government fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application filing fee | ¥3,400 + ¥8,600 per class | Paid at filing. One class = ¥12,000 |
| Registration fee (10-year term) | ¥32,900 per class | Paid after the decision to grant; can be split into two five-year installments |
| Renewal fee | See our renewal service | Payable every 10 years; five-year installments also available |
These are government fees only. Our professional fee for a Japan filing is shown on the Japan trademark service page.
The Katakana Question: The One Thing Foreign Brands Miss
Japanese uses Katakana (カタカナ), a phonetic script, to write foreign words and names. When your Roman-letter brand enters Japan, consumers, distributors, and the media will write it in Katakana. "Google" becomes グーグル (Gūguru); "McDonald's" becomes マクドナルド (Makudonarudo).
Under Japanese practice, a Roman-letter trademark and its Katakana equivalent are not automatically treated as the same trademark. A third party can register the Katakana version of your name and block you from using the form Japanese consumers recognize, then use it on competing goods or offer to sell it back to you.
Best practice is to file two applications:
- Your brand name in Roman letters
- The most likely Katakana transliteration
Hiragana or Kanji versions are worth adding where they are part of how the brand will be used. We advise on the commercially common transliteration for your name as part of every Japan filing.
Common Grounds for Refusal
- Lack of distinctiveness (Article 3): generic terms, descriptive terms, single letters, simple shapes, common surnames. Acquired distinctiveness can rescue a descriptive trademark, but only with substantial evidence of use in Japan.
- Conflict with a prior trademark (Article 4(1)(xi)): the most frequent refusal. The JPO compares trademarks visually, phonetically, and conceptually. Phonetic similarity is where the Katakana issue bites.
- Confusion with a well-known mark (Article 4(1)(x) and (xv)): a famous trademark can block you even in different goods if confusion or unfair advantage is likely.
- Public order and morality (Article 4(1)(vii)): scandalous, obscene, or deceptive trademarks.
WIPO's Madrid System (the Madrid Protocol) vs direct filing: which is right for you?
Japan has been a member of WIPO's Madrid System since 2000, so you can reach the JPO either through an international registration or by filing directly.
WIPO's Madrid System
- Pros: one application, one language, one set of fees when you are filing in several countries at once; central management of renewals and ownership changes.
- Cons: for the first five years your international registration depends on your home trademark, whether an application or a registration ("central attack"); the goods list must be the same for every country, and a list accepted at home can be refused as too vague by the JPO; if the JPO issues a refusal, a qualified local attorney in Japan still has to respond.
Direct filing with the JPO
- Pros: the application is drafted to JPO standards from the start, which reduces refusals; you get Japan-specific advice, including the Katakana filing, from day one; the registration is independent of any other filing.
- Cons: Japan's fees are paid separately and up front if Japan is one of many countries, and you need a qualified local attorney from the start.
Our recommendation: if Japan is a serious market for you, file directly. If Japan is one country in a wider rollout, our International Trademark Application via WIPO service can include it, and a qualified local attorney responds to any JPO refusal.
After Registration: Keeping the Trademark Alive
Renewal. A Japanese registration lasts 10 years from the registration date and can be renewed indefinitely. Renewal can be filed in the six months before expiry, and there is a six-month grace period after expiry with a surcharge. We track the date and file it through our trademark renewal service.
Use it or lose it. Under Article 50 of the Trademark Act, a registration that has not been used in Japan for three consecutive years can be canceled on request by any third party. If challenged, the burden is on you to prove use, so keep records of sales, packaging, and advertising in Japan by class.
Monitor and enforce. The JPO does not police the market. A watch service alerts you to new filings that conflict with yours in time to oppose them, and a registration gives you the right to send a cease-and-desist letter, seek an injunction, and claim damages against infringers.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Japanese address or company to register a trademark in Japan?
No. Any foreign individual or company can register. If you have no domicile or place of business in Japan, a qualified local attorney must act for you before the JPO.
How long does a Japanese trademark registration last?
Ten years from the registration date, renewable indefinitely for further 10-year periods.
What happens if I register but do not use the trademark?
After three consecutive years of non-use in Japan, any third party can ask the JPO to cancel the registration. You would need to prove commercial use within that period to defend it.
Can I register a sound or a color in Japan?
Yes. Since 2015 the JPO accepts sound, position, motion, hologram, and color marks. A color mark needs substantial evidence that consumers already associate the color with your brand.
What is the difference between the filing fee and the registration fee?
The filing fee (¥3,400 plus ¥8,600 per class) is paid when you submit the application for examination. The registration fee (¥32,900 per class for 10 years) is paid only after the JPO approves the trademark, and paying it is what completes the registration.
Should I file in Roman letters or Katakana?
Both. They are treated as different trademarks, and the Katakana version is the one Japanese consumers will use.
