JapanLet our experienced attorneys take care of everything. They check your name, prepare the application and file it with the JPO.
Starting from $250 attorney fee + government filing fee.
Trusted by founders and brands worldwide
Brands that trust GTC across IP, contracts, and counsel.
Your attorney runs the check, the drafting and every letter from the JPO with you, from the first search to the certificate.
Brands we've protected
How it works
Each step shows how long the JPO usually takes and which payment it belongs to.
We search the JPO's register. An attorney tells you plainly whether the name is clear to file.
Free, no cardWe draft your goods and services, classify them under Nice and file with the JPO.
Payment 1, at filingThe JPO examines your mark and publishes it for the opposition window, watched by us.
IncludedWith no opposition, your Japan trademark registers and the certificate issues. Ten years, renewable.
Payment 2, on approvalWhat it costs
Our fee in USD. The JPO fees at cost, in JPY, plus a 5% bank fee. The JPO charges in steps; we bill you twice: once when we file, once when your mark is approved.
Professional fee in USD. The JPO fee at cost, in its own currency. Bank fee (5%) on government fees.
Invoiced when the JPO approves your mark. If the mark is refused, this payment never happens.
A class is one category of goods or services. Find your classes with Class Assist.
How long
Most Japan trademarks move on the JPO's standard timeline. Here is what to expect.
We search the JPO's register. An attorney tells you plainly whether the name is clear to file.
We draft your goods and services, classify them under Nice and file with the JPO.
The JPO examines your mark and publishes it for the opposition window, watched by us.
With no opposition, your Japan trademark registers and the certificate issues. Ten years, renewable.
We diary the renewal deadline and remind you a year ahead, so your protection never lapses.
Filing in Japan
The rules that change how we search, draft and file for you. We handle every one of them.
Japan does not recognise prior use of an unregistered mark as a defence against a later registration. Whoever files first owns the mark, making early JPO filing essential for foreign brands entering the Japanese market.
Japanese consumers read foreign brand names in katakana script regardless of how they are originally spelled. Filing the katakana version alongside the Latin-character version prevents a third party from registering one against you.
Japan layers a national similar-group code system on top of Nice classification. Two goods in the same Nice class but different similar-groups are not in conflict, and vice versa. Drafting requires both systems.
Examination is thorough and refusal rates for foreign filers are non-trivial. A pre-filing clearance and similar-group analysis is the single biggest factor in registration success.
Your attorney runs the check, the drafting and every letter from the JPO with you, from the first search to the certificate and the renewal ten years on.
Get started
An attorney checks your name, then sends your filing quote. About 3 minutes.
Your Customer Success Team
Every GTC client gets a dedicated Account Manager and a Senior Account Manager who learn your business and stay with you from first email to final filing. They are named people who pick up the phone and already know your matter, so every step moves forward without delay.
Your day-to-day point of contact, who coordinates every matter, keeps things moving, and already knows your file. They have your full history, so you start every conversation where the last one left off.
Senior oversight on strategy and escalations, stepping in as your needs grow, so every important detail stays on track.
A named person, on email or a call, at every step.
After you submit
No chasing. Each step lands in your portal and your inbox, with the next step and its date.
Your attorney's read on the name, the classes we suggest, and a quote with every JPO fee on it. Nothing to pay yet.
You add the owner details in your portal. We prepare the power of attorney and tell you exactly how to sign and return it.
We file and send you the JPO's receipt with your application number. Payment 1 is invoiced now.
Anything the JPO sends comes to you in plain English with our recommended reply, before any deadline.
We pay the registration fee (payment 2) and upload your certificate. Your renewal date is diaried.
Before you file
An earlier identical or similar registered mark covers the same or similar similar-group goods. A pre-filing JPO + similar-group clearance search catches this before you spend ¥12,000.
The mark is generic, descriptive, or simply common in the relevant trade. Counsel argues acquired distinctiveness or refines the specification.
The mark causes confusion with a well-known third-party mark, even outside the registered class. Japan's protection for famous marks is broad and can cross class boundaries.
Includes marks contrary to public order or morality, state symbols, and protected official signs. We screen for these at intake.
In their words
Rajat has expertly guided me through the process of registering my company in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and more. Currently, he is safeguarding my business interests on a global scale. His dedication and expertise are unmatched.
Darius Tay, Indonesia
ExcellentTrustpilotJapan trademark questions, answered straight
Protect your brand in Japan
A Japanese-experienced attorney reviews your brand, checks the JPO's register for conflicts, and maps your fastest route to a registered Japan trademark. No payment, no obligation.
More Japan trademark services
More markets
The same team files your trademark worldwide on one account. File directly in another market:
United States
European Union
United Kingdom
China
India
Canada
Australia
Germany
France
South Korea
Spain
Italy
Brazil
Mexico
UAE
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Hong Kong
TaiwanFiling in several at once? One Madrid application reaches 130+ territories
Attorney advertising. The information on this page is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Use of this site does not create an attorney–client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Global Trademark Company LLC — 712 H Street NE, Suite 2094, Washington, DC 20002 — +1 510-973-4964
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