We are a boutique IP firm located in Osaka, Japan, specializing in trademark, design, specific unfair competition and copyright matters.

The Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement entered into force in Japan on May 13, 2015, which allows filing an international design application designating Japan.

The Hague system permits to include up to 100 designs within a single application as long as they are a member of the same Locarno class.  To the contrary, the JPO has one-application-for-one-design rule and will maintain this rule for those applications under the Hague System.  Accordingly, the JPO will assign a domestic application number to each design included in an international registration and examine each design separately.

It should be noted that generally, six views are required for a three-dimensional article.  Office action will be issued if the design cannot be understood specifically due to missing one or more views.  The applicant may add drawings, but that should not change the gist of design.

[useful materials provided by JPO]

Notes for the designation of Japan in an International design application:
https://www.jpo.go.jp/english/applications/pdf/hague_notes
_e/notes_e.pdf

For more information or any question, please do not hesitate to contact us.