Is it necessary to “register” a trademark to get protection in Japan?
Yes, it is necessary to register a trademark in Japan to get protection. The Japanese Trademark Law allows protection to a trademark only after it is registered at the Japanese Patent Office.
That is to say, even if the trademark has already been in use in Japan, the trademark owner cannot obtain an injunction to prevent the use of the mark by a third party under the Trademark Law. However, an injunction can be obtained against the defaulters if the trademark has been well known in Japan. The injunction thus obtained will be based on the Unfair Competition Prevention Law of Japan.
Trademark Registration Office in Japan
Patent Attorney：Hiroshi Oogai
Address：304 BUREX Hirakawacho 1-5-15, Hirakawa-cho,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Phone：＋81-3-4570-0792
Mail：contact @ trademark-registration-japan.com
