• HOME
• IP information
• The Japan Patent Office has announced revisions to its guidelines for accelerated trademark examination.

Japan：Trademark

The Japan Patent Office has announced revisions to its guidelines for accelerated trademark examination.

2025-10-05

The Japan Patent Office has announced revisions to its guidelines for accelerated trademark examination and adjudication. These revisions apply to applications filed on or after October 1, 2025.

1. Expansion of Scope of Application
• Trademarks containing another party's name will also be eligible for accelerated examination if they meet specified requirements.
• Applications previously ineligible may now qualify for accelerated examination depending on conditions.

2. Flexibility in Requirements
• The requirement for the applied-for trademark will be revised to include not only cases where “a license is being sought from another party,” but also cases where “a license has been granted.”
• If the user of the applied-for trademark is under the applicant's control, it will be deemed as use by the applicant.

3. Clarification of Joint Application Procedures
• It is now explicitly stated that the “Declaration of Intent Regarding International Registration Application” must be sworn in the names of all applicants.

4, Adjustment of Examination Timing
• The notification method is specified for cases where the commencement of regular examination precedes the selection result for accelerated examination.