Countries IP system

Japanese patent and trademark system

Invention patent

  • Patent term:
    20 years starting from filing date
  • Document required:
    Specification and drawings
  • Maintenance fee:
    First 3 years payment are made on register date, from the 4th year payment are made annually
  • Patent prosecution:
    1. Investigation examination procedure
    2. Patent publications will take place 18 months after the filing date (priority date)
    3. Formal examinations should take place within 3years from filling date (priority date)

Utility model patent

  • Patent term:
    6 years starting from filing date
  • Document required:
    Specification, drawings and power of attorney
  • Patent prosecution:
    Register procedure
  • Maintenance fee:
    First 3 years payment are made on register date, from the 4th year payment are made annually
  • Related term:
    Utility enforcement rights required technical evaluation report

Design patent

  • Patent term: 15 years starting from register date
  • Document required: Specification, drawings and power of attorney
  • Maintenance fee: First years payment are made on register date, from the second year payment are made annually

Trademark

  • Trademark term:
    10 years from register date, renewal for every 5 or 10 years term
  • Trademark type:
    Trademarks and service marks, protective mark and collective mark
  • Document required:
    Words/logo, merchandise detail (no power of attorney required)
  • Usage term:
    Trademark has not been use for 3 consecutive years will be revoke.
  • Renewal term:
    Renewal 6 month before expires date.