Do I need a Japanese representative?
Yes. Applicants who do not have a domicile or residence in Japan must file through a representative in Japan. We act as your representative for trademarks, designs and utility models, and as your filing representative and patent administrator for patents.
Can I claim priority from my home-country application?
Yes. Under the Paris Convention, a trademark or design application filed in Japan within six months of your first application (twelve months for patents and utility models) can claim priority from it. Please send us a copy of the earlier application as soon as possible.
Should I file directly or through the Madrid System?
Both are possible. A direct (national) application lets us draft the list of goods/services in Japanese practice from the start, and office actions are handled directly by us. A Madrid designation may be cheaper when you are covering many countries at once. We are happy to advise on which suits your case.
How long does it take?
Examination times at the JPO change over time. As a rough guide, the first examination result usually takes several months to about a year. Accelerated examination is available in certain cases.
Which class should I choose?
Japan follows the current edition of the Nice Classification. Goods may move between classes from year to year (for example, spectacles moved from Class 9 to Class 10 in 2026), and the class used in your home country may differ from Japanese practice. We check this for every application.
Can I use a Japanese application for Amazon Brand Registry?
Under current practice, Amazon generally accepts pending Japanese applications as well as registrations. Amazon may send a verification request to us as the representative of record; we will only pass on the information after confirming that the request comes from you or someone acting for you.
How do I pay?
Fees are quoted in US dollars and can be paid by bank wire transfer or PayPal. The payment terms are set out in our quotation.
Which languages do you use?
We work in English and Japanese. Inquiries in Chinese are also welcome; we reply in English, adding a machine-translated Chinese version where requested. The English text prevails.
Do you accept any application?
No. We do not accept applications that appear intended to register another party’s brand without authorization.
See also: Trademark Registration in Japan / Designs, Utility Models and Patents / Contact us
