Enterprise Caiying provides Shenzhen company / Guangzhou company / Shanghai company / Hangzhou company / Beijing company / Hong Kong company / Hainan company and other domestic company registration related business services, but also provides the United States company / Canadian company / Mexican company / British company / French company / New Zealand company / Japanese company / Singapore company / Thailand company / Vietnam company / Malaysia company and other foreign company registration related business services. Services, there is a need or interested in dropping me at any time (phone and WeChat consulting: 13045886252).

Frequently Asked Questions about Japanese Trademarks in Japan

Early Examination" (Accelerated Examination) of Japanese trademarks is an examination mechanism established by the Japan Patent Office (JPO) to meet the urgent needs of applicants for their rights, which can significantly shorten the period of substantive examination without additional official fees and result in a first opinion or notice of approval much faster than the regular examination. The first opinion or notice of approval can be obtained much faster than in the case of a regular examination.

The Japanese Trademark Acceleration System consists of two parallel mechanisms, Early Examination and Fast Track Examination, and the core differences between the two need to be clearly distinguished:

(1) Early examination requires the applicant to take the initiative to file an application, which can be filed simultaneously with or after the trademark application, and is centrally positioned to address the "urgent need for rightsizing", and the JPO data for 2024 shows that the cycle time for the first examination result is about 1.7 to 2 months;

(2) Fast-track review, on the other hand, does not require additional application and applies automatically when conditions are met. The core is to simplify the review process and adapt standardized goods/services, and the first review result cycle is about within 6 months.

Both types of mechanisms apply only to domestic applications submitted directly to the JPO; the Madrid route does not apply.

01 Conditions of application for early review (accelerated review)

JPO categorizes the early review into "Urgent Requirements Type" and "Full Use Type," and applications can be made if either type is met, with the following core conditions:

1) Emergency element type (all conditions need to be met at the same time)

On the basis of the use of the trademark, the applicant or licensee is required to have used the trademark for some of the designated goods/services, or to have completed a considerable degree of preparation for use.

Also, there must be an urgency of claiming the right to use the mark, and the following circumstances must be proved: unauthorized use or intended use of the mark by a third party; receipt of a warning from a third party regarding the use of the mark; request for a license to use the mark by a third party; filing of an application for the same mark in a country other than Japan; or filing of a basic application for Madrid International Registration.

The specification of goods/services needs to strictly correspond to the standard formulation of the Nice Classification or JPO Review Guide, and the classification should not be modified before the start of the review.

Trademark types are limited to traditional trademarks such as text, graphics, and combinations; non-traditional trademarks such as three-dimensional and sound are not available at this time.

In addition, non-Japanese residents must submit their applications through an agent in Japan.

2) Full-use type (all conditions must be met at the same time)

The trademark use basis requires that the applicant or licensee has used the mark for all of the designated goods/services, or has completed a substantial degree of preparation for use. The goods/services specification, trademark type, and agency requirements are consistent with the urgency element type, and there is no need for additional proof of urgency of rightsizing.

If you plan to register Shenzhen company / Guangzhou company / Shanghai company / Hangzhou company / Beijing company / Hong Kong company / Hainan company and other domestic company registration of the relevant business services, but also to provide U.S. companies / Canadian companies / Mexican companies / U.K. companies / French companies / New Zealand companies / Japanese companies / Singapore companies / Thai companies / Vietnamese companies / Malaysian companies, and other foreign company registration of the relevant Corporate services, company annual review / bookkeeping tax / payment of MPF / change information / bank account / ODI filing / cross-border e-commerce accompanied by running on behalf of the operation of the enterprise one-stop service, you can add my WeChat (phone with V: 13045886252) at any time to consult ↓↓↓ 

02 Application process and fastest review lapse

1) Timing of application and early review of materials

It can be filed simultaneously with the filing of the application for trademark registration, or after the filing date and before the commencement of the examination, and it is not possible to make up the application after the commencement of the examination.

The applicant is required to submit a Fact Sheet on Early Examination, with a detailed explanation of the reasons for urgency for the urgent element type, together with evidence of trademark use, such as sales contracts, product packaging, screenshots of e-commerce platform displays, and records of advertisements and publicity.

Non-Japanese residents must submit relevant documents and applications through a local Japanese agent.

2) Review of the statute of limitations

According to official JPO 2024 data, the average cycle time from the application for accelerated review to the issuance of the first review result is about 1.7 months.

In practice, if the materials are complete, meet the requirements and there are no complex reasons for rejection, the fastest about 1 month to obtain the first review opinion (or approval notice), the overall review cycle compared with the conventional review of 9-14 months significantly shortened.

It should be noted that, even if the early examination is passed, the subsequent still need to go through a 2-month announcement of the opposition period, the process is consistent with the regular trademark registration.

3) Key Considerations

No changes to the classification of goods/services may be made after the application for early review and before the review begins, or they will be automatically disqualified from accelerated review.

Three-dimensional, sound and other non-traditional trademarks are not applicable to the early examination mechanism for the time being. This review does not require additional official fees, but it is necessary to ensure that the evidence of use and proof of urgency is true and sufficient, to avoid rejecting the accelerated application due to material defects, which will affect the efficiency of the review.

If you need to register Shenzhen company / Guangzhou company / Shanghai company / Hangzhou company / Beijing company / Hong Kong company / Hainan company and other domestic company registration of the relevant business services, but also to provide U.S. companies / Canadian companies / Mexican companies / U.K. companies / French companies / New Zealand companies / Japanese companies / Singapore companies / Thai companies / Vietnamese companies / Malaysian companies, and other foreign company registration of the relevant business services, you can add my WeChat Corporate services, company annual review / bookkeeping tax / payment of MPF / change information / bank account / ODI filing / cross-border e-commerce accompanied by running on behalf of the operation of the enterprise one-stop service, you can add my WeChat (phone with V: 13045886252) at any time to consult ↓↓↓ 

03 What are the advantages of registering a Japanese company?

1) More internationalized brand image

The identity of "Japanese company" itself comes with trust endorsement, whether it is cross-border e-commerce, brand overseas, or docking supply chain cooperation, the head of a Japanese company, is a sense of professionalism + stability.

2) Cross-border business is more convenient

Japan is one of the economic hubs in Asia. After registering a Japanese company, you can open a local bank account in Japan, which makes it easier to deal with Amazon Japan, Rakuten, Yahoo, Japan B2B and other collection matters, and is more flexible in international settlement.

3) Flexible space for tax savings and financial compliance

The Japanese corporate tax system is well developed and transparent, and relatively friendly to foreign companies. With the assistance of a professional accountant, reasonable planning can also optimize tax expenses and make business operations lighter.

4) Passport to the Japanese market

Many brands want to enter the Japanese market, but without a legal entity status they are restricted from even opening a store, signing a lease, or doing promotions.

Registering a company = Obtaining a legal status for business in Japan, which enables you to apply for visas, leasing, hiring employees, placing advertisements, and other business qualifications.

If you need to register Shenzhen company / Guangzhou company / Shanghai company / Hangzhou company / Beijing company / Hong Kong company / Hainan company and other domestic company registration of the relevant business services, but also to provide U.S. companies / Canadian companies / Mexican companies / U.K. companies / French companies / New Zealand companies / Japanese companies / Singapore companies / Thai companies / Vietnamese companies / Malaysian companies, and other foreign company registration of the relevant business services, you can add my WeChat Corporate services, company annual review / bookkeeping tax / payment of MPF / change information / bank account / ODI filing / cross-border e-commerce accompanied by running on behalf of the operation of the enterprise one-stop service, you can add my WeChat (phone with V: 13045886252) at any time to consult ↓↓↓ 

04 How to choose the type of Japanese company?

1) Representative Offices

No legal personality to sign contracts or run a business;

There is no need to register a legal entity to open a bank account or hire employees;

It is suitable for the initial research stage when you have not yet decided whether to enter the Japanese market or not;

The office address can be either shared space or co-working, but you need to make sure that the address can meet the inspection requirements of the banks and regulators.

2) Branch Office

It operates in Japan under the name of the parent company and does not have an independent legal personality;

The registration procedure includes notarized documents of the parent company, translations and consular certification;

Registered capital does not need to be separately capitalized, but separate accounts are required for tax and bank purposes;

Suitable for companies that already have an established overseas operation system and are using Japan as a base for expansion.

3) KK Corporation (KK)

The most common type of legal entity in Japan, with a structure similar to that of a Chinese "joint stock company";

Notarized Articles of Incorporation and payment of registration license tax (minimum 150,000 yen) are required;

High external creditworthiness for subsequent financing and compliance filings;

Bank account opening pass rate is relatively higher, and it is highly recognized in business cooperation;

Its governance structure includes a general meeting of shareholders, a board of directors, and representative directors;

For companies that are in business for the long term or planning an IPO.

4) Contract Club (GK)

Similar to a limited liability company, the system is more flexible and less costly;

There is no need to notarize the articles of incorporation, the registration tax exemption is only 60,000 yen, and a single person can set up a business;

There is no shareholders' meeting or board of directors' mandatory requirements, and there is a lot of operational freedom;

Particularly suitable for small operations or holding structures.

If you need to register Shenzhen company / Guangzhou company / Shanghai company / Hangzhou company / Beijing company / Hong Kong company / Hainan company and other domestic company registration of the relevant business services, but also to provide U.S. companies / Canadian companies / Mexican companies / U.K. companies / French companies / New Zealand companies / Japanese companies / Singapore companies / Thai companies / Vietnamese companies / Malaysian companies, and other foreign company registration of the relevant business services, you can add my WeChat Corporate services, company annual review / bookkeeping tax / payment of MPF / change information / bank account / ODI filing / cross-border e-commerce accompanied by running on behalf of the operation of the enterprise one-stop service, you can add my WeChat (phone with V: 13045886252) at any time to consult ↓↓↓ 

05 Process of registering a Japanese company (for non-Japanese residents)

1)architectural design

:: Determination of the company name (in accordance with the norms of the Japanese Companies Act);

:: Legal representative (whether or not residing in Japan);

:: Registered address (real office address);

:: The percentage of capital contribution and the content of the statute.

For foreign promoters who do not have residency status in Japan, the procedure of notarizing the signature or seal certificate in the country or region where they are located is required for the subsequent application for registration.

2)Charter Certification

KK is required to submit the articles of association to a Japanese notary public for notarization and certification, which is a mandatory part of registration; GK can omit this procedure.

Foreigners are required to submit a "Certificate of Signature" instead of a "Certificate of Seal" for the establishment of a company, while Mainland Chinese are usually required to have their signatures notarized by an attorney and certified by the Japanese Consulate.

3)capital injection

Funds must be paid into a "Temporary Receipt Account" or a Japanese bank account in the sponsor's name, and a certificate of payment must be obtained from the bank.

4)Submit Registration

Submit the registration application to the Legal Affairs Bureau and obtain the Certificate of Incorporation and Certificate of Registration of Corporate Seal in about 10-15 working days.

5)Tax Declaration

Within two weeks of the completion of registration, the company must file with the tax office, local tax office, annuity office, etc., submitting information such as the lease contract, establishment prospectus, and representative's identification. Failure to file will be treated as an "unincorporated shell".

6)Bank account opening

It is difficult to open an account, and you need to prepare a complete business plan with proof of office space and other documents in advance.

After registration, you can get a full set of Japanese company information.

If you need to register Shenzhen company / Guangzhou company / Shanghai company / Hangzhou company / Beijing company / Hong Kong company / Hainan company and other domestic company registration of the relevant business services, but also to provide U.S. companies / Canadian companies / Mexican companies / U.K. companies / French companies / New Zealand companies / Japanese companies / Singapore companies / Thai companies / Vietnamese companies / Malaysian companies, and other foreign company registration of the relevant business services, you can add my WeChat Corporate services, company annual review / bookkeeping tax / payment of MPF / change information / bank account / ODI filing / cross-border e-commerce accompanied by running on behalf of the operation of the enterprise one-stop service, you can add my WeChat (phone with V: 13045886252) at any time to consult ↓↓↓ 

06 Japanese Company Registration Fee Reference

The fee consists of three main components: government fees, professional service fees and additional service fees such as address.

1) Government fees and statutory costs:

Fixed-price certification fee: approximately 50,000-60,000 yen.

Stamp Duty on Registered Capital: Taxes vary depending on the amount of registered capital (e.g., for a capital of 10 million yen, a stamp duty of 40,000 yen).

Registration exemption tax at the Legal Affairs Bureau: 0.7% of capital (minimum 150,000 yen).

(2) Fee for professional agency services:

The service fee for appointing an administrative scrivener or a representative organization varies greatly depending on the complexity and content of the service. The market price for a standard package for the establishment of a foreign company ranges from 500,000 yen to 1,000,000 yen (approximately 25,000 to 50,000 yen).

3) Other necessary/optional costs:

Registered Address Rental: If you do not have a physical address in Japan, you will need to rent a legal business address at an annual fee of approximately 100,000-300,000 yen.

Japanese Representative Director Compensation: If you need to appoint a nominal Japanese representative director to fulfill legal requirements, annual compensation is required, which is a large ongoing expense.

Company seal fee: approximately 20,000-40,000 yen.

Bank account opening assistance fee: At present, Japanese banks are scrutinizing the account opening of new overseas companies strictly, and professional assistance in account opening may incur additional fees.

Total Estimate: For a standard corporation established by foreign natural person shareholders with a one-year address and basic services, the total initial setup costs (excluding registered capital) are usually in the range of 800,000 to 1,500,000 yen (approximately 40,000 to 75,000 RMB), but each case needs to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis, and the costs are not static.

If you plan to register Shenzhen company / Guangzhou company / Shanghai company / Hangzhou company / Beijing company / Hong Kong company / Hainan company and other domestic company registration related business services, also provides the United States company / Canadian company / Mexican company / British company / French company / New Zealand company / Japanese company / Singapore company / Thai company / Vietnam company / Malaysia company and other foreign company registration related business services. Corporate services, company annual review / bookkeeping tax / payment of MPF / change information / bank account / ODI filing / cross-border e-commerce to accompany the operation of the enterprise one-stop services such as one-stop services can be found for enterprises, welcome to consult me (WeChat with the same number: 13045886252), or [Scan the following two-dimensional code] to match your needs, there will be a professional tax adviser to communicate with you in detail ↓↓↓↓  

07 Why choose Enterprise Caiying Group?

🏆 Why choose Enterprise Finance? --Professional strength, global trust

Enterprise Caiying Group, since its establishment in 2015, has always been adhering to the mission of "empowering every entrepreneurial dream", focusing on providing one-stop globalized industry, commerce, finance and tax and business services for enterprises.

Our bottom line, from the deep precipitation and authoritative certification:

✅ Service Scale Witnesses Reputation: Accumulated services for more than 300,000+ enterprises, long-term cooperation with more than 50,000+ customers.

✅ Global Network Local Support: Branches are set up in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, and the United States, with services covering Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

✅ Official certification qualification escort: with 3 Hong Kong government certified licensed secretarial firms, a U.S. branch and a self-employed Hong Kong accounting firm, and at the same time is the vice president of the Shenzhen Agency Bookkeeping Association, etc., to ensure that the service is fully compliant and reliable.

The four core advantages of Enterprise Caiying's overseas company registration service:

🔹 1. A team of experts to guide you throughout the process

Our team of nearly 400 professionals consists of senior lawyers, accountants, tax accountants and cross-border business consultants. They are well versed in international regulations, handle thousands of high-end cases annually, and can provide optimal customized solutions from structural design to on-the-ground implementation.

🔹 2. digitally empowered, smart and efficient

We have spent 20 million RMB to research and develop our own digital system "Echobo", which realizes process standardization and progress visualization. The integration of AI intelligent analysis can provide quick insight into demand and assist in generating solutions, making complex affairs clear, transparent and efficient.

🔹 3. Eco-links, extra value

We connect over 500,000+ entrepreneurs with domestic and international associations. By regularly organizing cross-border salons, tax law seminars and other activities, we not only solve registration problems, but are also committed to linking resources and creating business opportunities for you.

🔹 4. Full-cycle accompaniment for worry-free sailing

Our services go beyond "successful registration". We provide a full life cycle of services from early consultation, mid-term implementation, to late financial and tax declaration, annual audit and maintenance, and compliance consulting, to become your long-term and stable partner for overseas expansion.

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Image source: some of the image material in this article from the network, such as copyright issues, please contact us to replace the deletion of processing.

Information reference: The content of this article is synthesized from the internal materials of Enterprise Caiying and relevant public network information.

Content Editor: This article was edited and designed by the Operations Department of the Enterprise Caiying Group.

Warm reminder: The relevant policies, conditions, time limits, fees and other information described in this article may be subject to dynamic adjustments, please refer to the latest official announcements or the actual application of the specific circumstances prevail.