{"id":59,"date":"2026-03-14T12:48:49","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T03:48:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/?p=59"},"modified":"2026-11-02T16:35:26","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T07:35:26","slug":"japan_trademark_examination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/japan_trademark_examination\/","title":{"rendered":"Japanese Trademark Office Action (Notice of Reasons for Refusal): Common Grounds and How to Respond"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">&#8220;We received a notice of reasons for refusal from the JPO \u2014 is our trademark rejected?&#8221; &#8220;Our Madrid designation to Japan got a provisional refusal. What now?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">An Office Action is not the end of your application. In many cases the mark is registered after a well-prepared response. In this article, Japanese Patent Attorney Toru Kano of BrandAgent explains the common grounds for refusal in Japan, how to respond, and what overseas applicants need to watch for.<\/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 a notice of reasons for refusal is<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">The most common grounds for refusal in Japan<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Written arguments vs. amendments \u2014 and how to choose<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Deadlines and what happens if you do not respond<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Practical cautions and our fee<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">What is a notice of reasons for refusal?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">A notice of reasons for refusal (<em>kyozetsu riyu tsuchi<\/em>, commonly called an Office Action) tells you that the examiner considers the mark <strong>cannot be registered as the application now stands<\/strong>, and explains why. It is <strong>not a final decision<\/strong>. The examiner is giving you the opportunity to argue or amend before deciding.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">For a Madrid international registration designating Japan, the equivalent is a provisional refusal sent through WIPO. The grounds and the ways to respond are essentially the same.<\/span><\/p>\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>Foreign applicants: a Japanese attorney is required<\/p><div class=\"st-in-mybox\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">An applicant with no domicile or business office in Japan cannot respond to the JPO directly. The response must be filed through a representative in Japan \u2014 a Japanese patent attorney. This also applies to Madrid designations, even if you filed the international application yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">The most common grounds for refusal<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">1. Similarity to an earlier mark (Article 4(1)(xi))<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">The most frequent ground. The examiner finds that an earlier registered mark is similar in appearance, <strong>pronunciation<\/strong> or meaning, and that the goods or services are also similar. In Japan, pronunciation (the katakana reading) carries particular weight.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">2. Lack of distinctiveness (Article 3)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Marks that simply describe the goods, their quality or function, generic names, and common expressions may be refused because consumers would not see them as identifying one particular source.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">3. Likelihood of confusion with a well-known brand (Article 4(1)(xv))<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Even without direct similarity to a registered mark, a mark may be refused if consumers could mistake the goods as coming from, or being connected with, a famous brand.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">4. Unclear goods\/services description (Article 6)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Very common for foreign applicants and Madrid designations: the goods or services are worded in a way the JPO considers unclear, or they are listed in the wrong class. This is usually resolved by amending the description.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">How to respond<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Written arguments (opinion)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">We argue, on legal and factual grounds, that the examiner&#8217;s finding is wrong \u2014 for example, that the marks are not similar, the goods are not similar, the mark is distinctive, or there is no risk of confusion in actual trade. Some cases are resolved by arguments alone.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Amendment<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">We change the application to remove the ground \u2014 for example, by deleting the goods that overlap with the earlier mark, removing unnecessary items, or rewording unclear descriptions. When the conflict concerns only part of your list, narrowing it often leads straight to registration.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Other routes when an earlier mark blocks you<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>Non-use cancellation:<\/strong> if the cited mark has not been used in Japan for three or more consecutive years, we can file a non-use cancellation trial against it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>Consent:<\/strong> since April 2024, Japan has a consent system. With the earlier owner&#8217;s consent, a similar mark may be registered if there is no likelihood of confusion.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Arguments or amendment \u2014 which to choose?<\/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>How we decide<\/p><div class=\"st-in-mybox\">\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">If the examiner&#8217;s judgment appears wrong \u2192 mainly <strong>written arguments<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">If an amendment is likely to remove the ground \u2192 mainly <strong>amendment<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">If both are needed \u2192 <strong>file both<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">The question is not &#8220;argue or give in,&#8221; but which approach is most likely to get your mark registered with the protection your business needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Deadlines and what happens if you do not respond<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">The response period is <strong>40 days<\/strong> for applicants in Japan and, in principle, <strong>3 months<\/strong> for applicants with an address overseas, counted from the date the notice is sent. An extension can be requested in some cases.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">If no response is filed by the deadline, the examiner issues a <strong>decision of refusal<\/strong>. This formally ends the examination stage. It can still be challenged by an appeal against the decision of refusal, filed within three months, but an appeal takes longer and costs more than responding to the Office Action in time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Forwarding notices across borders takes time. If an Office Action reaches you through another firm, contact a Japanese attorney as early as possible so that there is enough time to study the cited marks and prepare a response.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">How likely is a response to succeed?<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>Unclear wording, or conflicts limited to some goods:<\/strong> usually easy to resolve by amendment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>Similarity to an earlier mark (4(1)(xi)):<\/strong> more difficult; depends on how close the marks and goods really are.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>Lack of distinctiveness (Article 3):<\/strong> varies widely depending on the mark.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Practical cautions<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Never miss the response deadline.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Read the cited marks and the cited provisions carefully before choosing a strategy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Do not over-amend: deleting too much can leave the products you actually sell unprotected.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Decide in advance which goods and services you must keep.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\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>BrandAgent&#8217;s Office Action response<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Our fee for preparing a response is <strong>JPY 25,000<\/strong> (excluding Japanese consumption tax, where applicable). We also take over cases filed through other firms, including Madrid designations. Every case is handled personally by a licensed patent attorney, with more than 4,000 applications filed. We report in English or Chinese, and payment by PayPal (JPY) or bank transfer is accepted.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">FAQ<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>Q. Are Office Actions common in Japan?<\/strong><br \/>\nA. Yes. They are a normal part of trademark examination. Similarity (4(1)(xi)), distinctiveness (Article 3) and unclear goods descriptions are the most frequent.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>Q. Does an Office Action mean our mark cannot be registered?<\/strong><br \/>\nA. No. Many marks are registered after written arguments or an amendment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>Q. What if we ignore it?<\/strong><br \/>\nA. A decision of refusal is issued after the deadline passes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><strong>Q. Our application was filed by another firm, or via Madrid. Can you respond?<\/strong><br \/>\nA. Yes. We can be appointed as your representative for the response. Send us the notice and we will reply with our view and a quote.<\/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%;\">An Office Action is not a final refusal; you can argue or amend.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Common grounds: similar earlier mark, lack of distinctiveness, confusion with a famous brand, unclear goods.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">Overseas applicants generally have 3 months to respond, through a Japanese patent attorney.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">No response means a decision of refusal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\">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-refusal\/\">Refused for a Similar Trademark in Japan? Article 4(1)(xi) Explained by a Japanese Patent Attorney<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/japan-trademark-distinctiveness\/\">Refused for Lack of Distinctiveness in Japan? Article 3 of the Japanese Trademark Act Explained<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 120%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/japan-trademark-intent-to-use\/\">&#8220;Intent to Use&#8221; Refusals in Japan: Too Many Goods, Class 35 Retail and How to Respond<\/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<\/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>Received an Office Action from the Japan Patent Office? A Japanese patent attorney explains the common refusal grounds, the response deadline for overseas applicants, written arguments vs. amendments, and what happens if you do not respond.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":348,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59","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\/59","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=59"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":207,"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59\/revisions\/207"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/348"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brandagent.jp\/en_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}