Japan (JP)

Japan is an island country in East Asia, located in the northwest Pacific Ocean. It is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north toward the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south. Part of the Ring of Fire, Japan spans an archipelago of 6852 islands covering 377,975 square kilometres (145,937 sq. mi); the five main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa. Tokyo is Japan’s capital and largest city; other major cities include Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka, Kobe, and Kyoto.

Intellectual property protection in Japan

Intellectual property office Japan Patent Office (JPO)
Website https://www.jpo.go.jp/e/index.html
Contact details 3-4-3 Kasumigaseki
Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 100-8915
(81 3) 3580 9827

Patent

Time limit applicable for entry into the PCT national phase 30 months from the priority date
Time limit applicable for filing Conventional application 12 months from the priority date
Language Japanese
Representation Foreign applicants must be represented by a Japanese Patent Attorney
Power of Attorney Not required

Trademark

Filing requirements
  • Applicant(s) details
  • Representation of the mark
  • List of good(s) and/or service(s)
Multiple-class applications Yes
Power of Attorney Not required
Opposition period Within two months from publication of the trademark application
Representation Foreign applicants must be represented by a Japanese Trademark Attorney

Industrial Design

Filing requirements
  • Applicant's name and address
  • Representation of the design
Multiple design applications Yes
Power of Attorney Not required
Examination Substantive examination
Representation Foreign applicants must be represented by a Japanese Design Attorney

Source: WIPO and Wikipedia