{"id":129,"date":"2026-10-31T12:28:46","date_gmt":"2026-10-31T03:28:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/japan-trademark-similarity-refusal\/"},"modified":"2026-11-02T16:34:21","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T07:34:21","slug":"japan-trademark-similarity-refusal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/japan-trademark-similarity-refusal\/","title":{"rendered":"Refused for a Similar Trademark in Japan? Article 4(1)(xi) Explained by a Japanese Patent Attorney"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">&#8220;The Japan Patent Office says our mark is similar to someone else&#8217;s. What does that mean?&#8221; &#8220;Our brand is registered at home \u2014 why was it refused in Japan?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">One of the most common reasons a trademark is refused in Japan is <strong>Article 4(1)(xi) of the Japanese Trademark Act<\/strong>: the mark is similar to an earlier registered mark. In this article, Japanese Patent Attorney Toru Kano of BrandAgent explains how similarity is judged in Japan and what foreign applicants can do when they receive this refusal.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"st-mybox st-mybox-class\" style=\"margin: 18px 0; padding: 16px; border: 2px solid #e5e7eb; border-radius: 10px; background: #fafafa;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>What you will learn<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"margin: 10px 0 0 18px;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">What Article 4(1)(xi) is and what a &#8220;cited mark&#8221; means<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">How the JPO judges similarity of marks: appearance, sound and meaning<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Why the goods and services must also be similar<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Typical cases that get refused<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">How to respond: arguments, amendments, attacking the cited mark, and consent<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">What is Article 4(1)(xi) of the Japanese Trademark Act?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Article 4(1)(xi) prohibits the registration of a mark that is <strong>identical or similar to an earlier registered trademark<\/strong> (or an earlier-filed mark that later becomes registered), <strong>when it is used for identical or similar goods or services<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Both conditions must be met. A similar mark for completely unrelated goods is not refused under this article, and an identical mark is not refused if the goods and services are dissimilar.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Japan is a first-to-file country. Whoever files first in Japan generally wins, even if your brand has been used for years in China, Korea or elsewhere. A registration in your home country does not protect you in Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">What is a &#8220;cited mark&#8221;?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">When the examiner refuses your application under Article 4(1)(xi), the Office Action (notice of reasons for refusal) lists the earlier registered mark that blocks yours. This is called the <strong>cited mark<\/strong>. The cited mark may be a Japanese registration or an international registration designating Japan under the Madrid System.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">The first step in any response is to analyze the cited mark accurately: its exact form, its registered goods and services, its owner, and whether it is actually being used in Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">How is similarity of marks judged?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">The JPO compares marks from three angles and then makes an overall judgment, taking into account how the goods are actually traded.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">\u2460 Appearance<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">How the marks look. Strings of letters that are very close \u2014 for example &#8220;ABC&#8221; and &#8220;ABCD&#8221; \u2014 may be found similar in appearance.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">\u2461 Sound (pronunciation)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">How the marks are read aloud in Japanese. In practice, <strong>sound is often the decisive factor<\/strong>. Marks that differ only in a final sound \u2014 such as &#8220;Raito&#8221; and &#8220;Raitoh&#8221; \u2014 may be treated as similar. Note that an English word and its katakana form (e.g. &#8220;LIGHT&#8221; and &#8220;\u30e9\u30a4\u30c8&#8221;) are read the same way in Japan, so a katakana registration can block an English mark, and vice versa.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">\u2462 Meaning (concept)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">What the marks mean. Different words with the same meaning \u2014 for example &#8220;SUN&#8221; and &#8220;\u592a\u967d&#8221; (Japanese for &#8220;sun&#8221;) \u2014 can be found similar in concept. This matters for brands that combine an English word with Chinese characters.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">The goods and services must also be similar<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Article 4(1)(xi) only applies when the goods or services are also identical or similar. Clothing and clothing are obviously similar, while clothing and restaurant services are usually considered dissimilar.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">In Japanese examination, the <strong>similarity group codes<\/strong> (e.g. 17A01) assigned to each item of goods and services are an important reference. Items sharing the same code are presumed similar, even if they fall in different Nice classes. The codes are not applied completely mechanically, however; the nature of the goods and actual trade practices are also considered.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"st-mybox  has-title st-mybox-class\" style=\"background:#f1f8e9;border-color:#a5d6a7;border-width:2px;border-radius:5px;margin: 25px 0 25px 0;\"><p class=\"st-mybox-title\" style=\"color:#4caf50;font-weight:bold;text-shadow: #fff 3px 0px 0px, #fff 2.83487px 0.981584px 0px, #fff 2.35766px 1.85511px 0px, #fff 1.62091px 2.52441px 0px, #fff 0.705713px 2.91581px 0px, #fff -0.287171px 2.98622px 0px, #fff -1.24844px 2.72789px 0px, #fff -2.07227px 2.16926px 0px, #fff -2.66798px 1.37182px 0px, #fff -2.96998px 0.42336px 0px, #fff -2.94502px -0.571704px 0px, #fff -2.59586px -1.50383px 0px, #fff -1.96093px -2.27041px 0px, #fff -1.11013px -2.78704px 0px, #fff -0.137119px -2.99686px 0px, #fff 0.850987px -2.87677px 0px, #fff 1.74541px -2.43999px 0px, #fff 2.44769px -1.73459px 0px, #fff 2.88051px -0.838246px 0px;\"><i class=\"fa fa-check-circle st-css-no\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>Note for foreign applicants<\/p><div class=\"st-in-mybox\">\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">A goods list copied from your home application or a Madrid designation is often very broad. Broad lists overlap with more earlier marks and attract more 4(1)(xi) refusals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Listing only the goods you actually sell or plan to sell in Japan reduces the risk from the start.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Cases that are often refused under Article 4(1)(xi)<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Short word marks that differ from an earlier mark by only one letter or the ending<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">English marks whose Japanese reading is the same as an earlier katakana mark (or vice versa)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Coined words that still sound close to an earlier mark when read in Japanese<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Very broad lists of goods and services that overlap with the cited mark<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Short marks are particularly risky: the shorter the mark, the less a one-letter difference helps to distinguish it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">How to respond to a 4(1)(xi) refusal<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">A refusal is not the end. If you have no domicile or business office in Japan, the response must be filed through a Japanese patent attorney \u2014 this applies to direct filings and to Madrid designations (provisional refusals) alike. The response deadline is short, so please contact your attorney as soon as you receive the notice.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">\u2460 Argue non-similarity in a written opinion<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">We file a written opinion explaining why the marks are not similar in appearance, sound or meaning, or why the goods are not similar. This works best when there is a clear difference that the examiner may have underestimated.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">\u2461 Amend (narrow) the goods and services<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">If the overlap concerns only some items, deleting or narrowing those items can remove the refusal. This is often the fastest and most practical solution, especially when the overlapping goods are not important to your business in Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">\u2462 Challenge the cited mark itself<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">If the cited mark has not been used in Japan for three or more consecutive years, you can file a <strong>non-use cancellation trial<\/strong>. If it should never have been registered, an <strong>invalidation trial<\/strong> may be possible. Once the cited mark disappears, the refusal against your application is resolved.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">\u2463 Obtain consent from the owner of the cited mark<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Since April 2024, Japan has a consent system (Article 4(4)). If the owner of the cited mark consents and there is no likelihood of confusion, your mark can be registered. This is useful, for example, when the cited mark belongs to a group company or a business partner.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Practical points<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"st-mybox  has-title st-mybox-class\" style=\"background:#ffebee;border-color:#ef9a9a;border-width:2px;border-radius:5px;margin: 25px 0 25px 0;\"><p class=\"st-mybox-title\" style=\"color:#ef5350;font-weight:bold;text-shadow: #fff 3px 0px 0px, #fff 2.83487px 0.981584px 0px, #fff 2.35766px 1.85511px 0px, #fff 1.62091px 2.52441px 0px, #fff 0.705713px 2.91581px 0px, #fff -0.287171px 2.98622px 0px, #fff -1.24844px 2.72789px 0px, #fff -2.07227px 2.16926px 0px, #fff -2.66798px 1.37182px 0px, #fff -2.96998px 0.42336px 0px, #fff -2.94502px -0.571704px 0px, #fff -2.59586px -1.50383px 0px, #fff -1.96093px -2.27041px 0px, #fff -1.11013px -2.78704px 0px, #fff -0.137119px -2.99686px 0px, #fff 0.850987px -2.87677px 0px, #fff 1.74541px -2.43999px 0px, #fff 2.44769px -1.73459px 0px, #fff 2.88051px -0.838246px 0px;\"><i class=\"fa fa-check-circle st-css-no\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>Keep in mind<\/p><div class=\"st-in-mybox\">\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Sound (Japanese pronunciation) is often given heavy weight.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Short marks are refused more easily.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Analyze the cited mark accurately before deciding on a strategy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Amending the goods and services often solves the problem.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Aim for a practical solution that fits your actual business in Japan, not just a legal argument.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">The best protection is a prior search before filing. If you instruct BrandAgent to file, the prior trademark search is free of charge, and we will tell you in advance whether there are similar earlier marks in Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>BrandAgent&#8217;s fee for an Office Action response:<\/strong> JPY 25,000 (excluding Japanese consumption tax, where applicable). With more than 4,000 applications filed, every case is handled personally by a licensed patent attorney, not by unqualified staff.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">FAQ<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>Q. Is a 4(1)(xi) refusal common?<\/strong><br \/>\nA. Yes. It is one of the most frequent reasons for refusal in Japanese trademark examination.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>Q. Does a refusal mean our mark can never be registered?<\/strong><br \/>\nA. No. Many marks are registered after a written opinion, an amendment of the goods and services, cancellation of the cited mark or consent.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>Q. Our mark differs by one letter. Is that enough?<\/strong><br \/>\nA. Not necessarily. For short marks or marks that sound alike in Japanese, a one-letter difference may not be enough.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>Q. We received a provisional refusal for our Madrid designation. Can we respond ourselves?<\/strong><br \/>\nA. No. A holder without a domicile or office in Japan must respond through a Japanese patent attorney. We can handle the response in English or Chinese.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Summary<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"st-mybox  has-title st-mybox-class\" style=\"background:#f1f8e9;border-color:#a5d6a7;border-width:2px;border-radius:5px;margin: 25px 0 25px 0;\"><p class=\"st-mybox-title\" style=\"color:#4caf50;font-weight:bold;text-shadow: #fff 3px 0px 0px, #fff 2.83487px 0.981584px 0px, #fff 2.35766px 1.85511px 0px, #fff 1.62091px 2.52441px 0px, #fff 0.705713px 2.91581px 0px, #fff -0.287171px 2.98622px 0px, #fff -1.24844px 2.72789px 0px, #fff -2.07227px 2.16926px 0px, #fff -2.66798px 1.37182px 0px, #fff -2.96998px 0.42336px 0px, #fff -2.94502px -0.571704px 0px, #fff -2.59586px -1.50383px 0px, #fff -1.96093px -2.27041px 0px, #fff -1.11013px -2.78704px 0px, #fff -0.137119px -2.99686px 0px, #fff 0.850987px -2.87677px 0px, #fff 1.74541px -2.43999px 0px, #fff 2.44769px -1.73459px 0px, #fff 2.88051px -0.838246px 0px;\"><i class=\"fa fa-check-circle st-css-no\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>Key points<\/p><div class=\"st-in-mybox\">\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Article 4(1)(xi) refuses marks similar to an earlier registered mark for similar goods or services.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Similarity is judged by appearance, sound and meaning, with Japanese pronunciation often decisive.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Responses include arguments, narrowing the goods, attacking the cited mark and consent.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Foreign applicants must respond through a Japanese patent attorney. BrandAgent&#8217;s response fee: JPY 25,000.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"related-articles\"><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Related articles<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/japan-trademark-similarity-test\/\">How Japan Judges Trademark Similarity: Appearance, Sound and Meaning Explained<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/japan-trademark-consent-system\/\">Japan&#8217;s Trademark Consent System (Since April 2024): Requirements, Documents and Limits for Foreign Applicants<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/japan_trademark_examination\/\">Japanese Trademark Office Action (Notice of Reasons for Refusal): Common Grounds and How to Respond<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/japan_trademark_search\/\">Trademark Search in Japan: How to Check Prior Marks Before Filing (and What People Miss)<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f0f7ff; border: 2px solid #0066cc; padding: 20px; margin: 24px 0; border-radius: 6px;\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>Planning to protect your brand in Japan?<\/strong><br \/>\nTell us your mark and your products \u2014 we will reply with the classes you need and a fixed quote, free of charge.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">BrandAgent Patent Office (Kyoto, Japan)<br \/>\nToru Kano, Japanese Patent Attorney<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a style=\"color: #0066cc; font-weight: bold;\" href=\"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en\/trademark_lp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Get a free quote for your Japanese trademark<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Article 4(1)(xi) of the Japanese Trademark Act is one of the most common reasons trademarks are refused in Japan. A Japanese patent attorney explains how similarity is judged and how foreign applicants can respond.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":330,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-129","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-trademark"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":208,"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129\/revisions\/208"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}