Key Steps In Design Registration Procedure In Japan

1. The original design application must be a national design application filed in one of the member countries of the Paris Convention or a regional application such as a Community Design application.

2. Japanese Design application may be filed claiming Priority within 6 months from the first application, and unique provisions under the Japanese Design law include:

• A design application must contain only one design (multiple designs cannot be filed in one application)
• For multiple articles in a set, such as a set of knives, forks, or spoons, a design can be filed in one application.
• More than one appearance of an article can be registered if the article changes shape (ex, clam shell cell phone)