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In Japan, trademarks are renewed through the Japan Patent Office (JPO), the government agency responsible for administering intellectual property rights. Renewal is required to keep a Japanese trademark registration active.
Japan is a member of the Madrid Protocol. If your trademark is an International Registration designating Japan, the renewal of that international registration is handled through WIPO Madrid System procedures. However, provisional refusals from the JPO are common for Madrid designations, and a local representative is required to respond to them.
Foreign applicants without a residential or business address in Japan must appoint a registered Japanese patent attorney (benrishi) for all procedures with the JPO, including renewals and payments.
Trademark protection in Japan is granted for a fixed term starting from the date of registration, and each renewal extends protection for another term. Under current rules, the term is 10 years.
Renewal must be filed within the 6 months before the expiry date. Japan also allows a late renewal period of up to 6 months after expiry, subject to a late fee equivalent to double the standard renewal fee. If you do not renew within this grace period, the trademark right is deemed to have expired retroactively as of the original expiry date.
In exceptional cases where the grace period was missed for a justifiable reason, a restoration procedure exists but carries additional fees and requires a formal statement of reasons.
For example, if the registration date of a Japanese trademark is 2015-10-24:
The initial term ends on 2025-10-24 (10 years).
The renewal window opens on 2025-04-24 (6 months before expiry) and closes on 2025-10-24.
The grace period then runs from 2025-10-25 to 2026-04-24, with double the renewal fee payable.
Once renewed, the next renewal would be due by 2035-10-24, and so on.
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In Japan, trademarks are just one form of intellectual property. Other important IP rights include patents, utility models, and designs. Explore our patent renewal pages for country-specific guidance and official fee information.
If you need any help renewing patents or trademarks and are looking for a cost-efficient solution, get in touch with us.
The first renewal must be filed within 6 months before the expiry of the 10-year registration term. Unlike some jurisdictions, Japan does not allow renewal applications to be filed more than 6 months before the deadline. The JPO does not issue renewal certificates but sends a postcard confirming receipt of the renewal request.
Yes. If you miss the on-time renewal window, Japan allows renewal within a 6-month grace period after the expiry date, but the fee is double the standard renewal fee: JPY 87,200 per class instead of JPY 43,600. After the grace period, the trademark right expires retroactively, though a separate restoration procedure may apply in cases of justifiable delay.
A Japanese trademark registration lasts 10 years from the date of registration, and each renewal extends it for another 10 years. There is no limit to the number of times a trademark can be renewed, as long as renewal fees are paid on time.
Proof of use is not required for renewal in Japan. However, a trademark that has not been used for three consecutive years following registration may be subject to a cancellation trial filed by any third party. No other maintenance declarations are required after registration.
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