Changing the Owner's Name or Address on a Japanese Trademark: Pending vs Registered (2026)

"Our company moved to a new address — do we need to update our Japanese trademark?" "We changed our company name. Is that a transfer?" "Our Japanese registration still shows the old address. Will that cause problems when we enforce it or renew it?"

These questions come up all the time with overseas brand owners. Company addresses change after relocations or local administrative reorganisations, and names change after rebranding or restructuring — but the Japanese trademark register does not update itself. In this article, Japanese Patent Attorney Toru Kano of BrandAgent explains how to change the owner's name or address on a Japanese trademark, how the procedure differs for pending applications and registered marks, and why it is not the same as a transfer.

*Information as of November 2026. Check the latest official fees on the JPO fee table.

Change of name or address vs transfer: two different procedures

A change of name or address (in Japanese, hyoji henko) means the owner stays the same; only the way the owner is described changes. Typical examples are a company moving its head office, or "ABC Co., Ltd." renaming itself "ABC Technology Co., Ltd." without becoming a different legal entity.

A transfer (assignment) means the right moves to a different person or company — for example from a Chinese parent company to its Japanese subsidiary, or to a buyer of the business. People often call both "changing the owner", but in Japan they are completely different procedures with different documents and different costs.

Pending application or registered trademark? The procedure differs

Pending applications: a simple notification

While the application is pending, nothing is entered in the trademark register yet. Your attorney files a notification updating the applicant's address or name with the JPO. There is no official fee, and it can be filed at any time during examination.

Registered trademarks: recording the change in the register

Once registered, the owner's name and address are recorded in the JPO's trademark register. To change them, a request to record the change is filed, with a registration tax of JPY 1,000 per registration. If you own five registrations, the tax is due for each of the five.

According to the JPO's guidance, a change of both address and name can be covered in one request, and several registrations of the same owner can be combined in a single filing. Where an address changed only because the local authority renumbered or renamed addresses (Japan's residential address system), the change can be exempt from the tax — this mainly concerns Japanese addresses.

A point many owners miss: the applicant ID record

The JPO gives each applicant an identification number, and the applicant's name and address are stored with that number. The JPO warns that recording a change in the register does not update the information stored with the identification number.

If you have both pending applications and registered marks — which is common for growing brands — you may need both the register change and a separate update of your applicant ID record. Otherwise the old address will keep appearing on your next filing.

Why an outdated register causes problems

Your trademark does not disappear because the address is out of date. But the mismatch tends to surface at the worst possible moment:

• Renewal: registrations are renewed every 10 years. If the owner details in the register no longer match your current details, the change usually has to be dealt with together with the renewal — not ideal close to the deadline.
• Transfer: if you later sell the brand or move it to a Japanese subsidiary, the assignor's details must match the register. An outdated address adds a step before the transfer can be recorded.
• Enforcement: warning letters, customs applications and court actions normally rely on an extract of the register. If the owner shown there does not match your company's current details, you have to explain and prove that it is the same company.
• Marketplaces: brand programmes and IP complaint forms on platforms such as Amazon ask for trademark owner information. A mismatch between your details and the registration may lead to extra questions. Marketplace requirements change frequently, so always check the latest seller guidelines.

Documents you need

• The request itself: prepared by your Japanese attorney, listing the registration numbers and the old and new details.
• Power of attorney: when the request is filed by an attorney. The JPO states that the applicant's seal is not required when an agent files. In our practice, a power of attorney with your company name and the representative's name typed is enough — no handwritten signature is needed.
• Evidence of the change: for example an updated business licence or a certificate from the company registry. Have it ready in case it is needed for your case.
• Japanese translations: any foreign-language document attached to a JPO filing must be accompanied by a Japanese translation. We can prepare it.

Change of name/address vs transfer at a glance

A transfer also requires more documents, such as a deed of assignment. If you are planning a restructuring, tell us early so we can choose the right procedure and the right order of steps.

Tips for foreign owners, especially from China

• You act through a Japanese attorney: an owner with no address or business office in Japan files these procedures through a Japanese patent attorney.
• Japanese spelling of your address: foreign addresses are written in Japanese (mainly katakana) in JPO records. The new address should be written consistently with how your earlier filings were recorded, so we check the existing records before drafting.
• Send the official new name in the original language: the Chinese name on your business licence and your official English name help us record the change accurately.
• Check all your Japanese rights at once: trademarks, designs and patents are recorded separately. If your company changed its name, list everything you own in Japan so nothing is left behind.

Working with BrandAgent

BrandAgent has handled more than 4,000 applications, and every case is handled personally by a licensed Japanese patent attorney. We communicate in English and Chinese, and you can pay by PayPal (in JPY) or bank transfer.

The work for a change of name/address or a transfer depends on the number of registrations and what has changed, so please send us your registration numbers and the new details for a free quote. If you are filing a new Japanese trademark under your new name, our fees are JPY 25,000 per class at filing and JPY 25,000 per class at registration (excluding consumption tax), and the prior search is free when you instruct us to file.

FAQ

• Q. Will our trademark lapse if we do not update the address?
  A. No. But the outdated details can delay renewal, transfers and enforcement, so it is best to update them when the change happens.
• Q. We changed our company name. Is that a transfer?
  A. If it is the same legal entity, it is a change of name, not a transfer. If the right moves to a different company, it is a transfer.
• Q. We own ten Japanese registrations. Do we file ten times?
  A. They can be combined in one filing, but the registration tax of JPY 1,000 applies to each registration.
• Q. Do we need to sign the power of attorney?
  A. In our practice, no. We prepare it with your company and representative's name typed in; the JPO does not require a seal when an agent files.
• Q. Our mark is an international registration designating Japan. Can the JPO change it?
  A. Changes to an international registration are recorded by WIPO (form MM10) and then apply to the designation of Japan.

Related articles

• Buying or Selling a Japanese Trademark: Assignment Procedure, Documents and Costs
• Changing the Applicant of a Pending Japanese Trademark Application: Process and Documents
• Power of Attorney and Documents for Japanese Trademark, Patent and Design Filings (Foreign Applicants, 2026)
• Japanese Trademark Renewal: Deadlines, Official Fees and Procedure for Foreign Owners