Madrid — Japan Representation
Local Representation for Madrid Designations of Japan
Japanese trademark support for overseas counsel, from local appointment to provisional refusal responses and protection reporting.
Send us the international registration number and any JPO notification. We will confirm the Japan status, response deadline, required documents and estimated costs.
- Japan local appointment
- JPY 10,000 oncePer international registration, for the same appointment.
- Simple goods/services amendment
- JPY 20,000Per response; appointment and any additional work are separate.
- Ongoing representation charge
- No annual retainerWork and docketing follow the agreed Japan mandate.
Working with overseas counsel
Your Japanese Associate for Madrid Matters
We work with overseas IP professionals to handle the Japanese part of an international trademark registration. Our support includes local appointment, review of JPO provisional refusals, preparation of responses and English reporting.
We explain the proposed approach and costs before undertaking substantive work, so that you can advise your client and provide coordinated instructions.
Japan Representation and WIPO Representation
Our appointment before the JPO does not replace your existing representative before WIPO. Central WIPO transactions require separate authorization and the necessary access or signatures.
The agreed mandate identifies the Japan matters and deadlines we docket and report. Local appointment alone does not instruct renewal, worldwide monitoring or responses in other designated members.
Representation fees
Japan Local Appointment
The appointment fee is charged once for the same appointment, per international registration. We file the appointment when procedurally available and confirm the status and scope of our engagement.
| Service and billing unit | Professional fee | JPO official fee |
|---|---|---|
| Taking over local representation in Japan, per international registration | 10,000 once | None |
| Initial Japan status report based on the designation information supplied to us, and routine docketing | Included in the appointment fee | None |
| Filing the appointment or acceptance of mandate and routine POA handling | Included in the appointment fee | None |
| Appointment for a provisional refusal, if we are not already appointed | 10,000 once | None |
| Forwarding a provisional refusal and recording its deadline, for a matter we handle | Included | None |
| Reporting a Statement of Grant of Protection for a designation we handle | Included | None |
Routine POA review, Japanese translation and reporting of acceptance or status where available are included in the appointment fee. There is no separate annual representation retainer or grant-reporting fee.
The appointment for a refusal is the same local appointment item: it is not charged again if we have already been appointed for that international registration. Substantive refusal analysis and response work are separate.
Japanese prosecution
Responses to Provisional Refusals
We review the JPO objections and distinguish a straightforward goods/services amendment from a response requiring substantive argument, evidence, consent-system work or an examiner interview. We confirm the proposed scope and estimate before starting.
| Service | Professional fee | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone refusal analysis and comments, per notice | 20,000 | Analysis with English comments; full translation is separate. |
| Simple goods/services amendment, per response | 20,000 | A straightforward amendment within the permitted scope. |
| Substantive argument or combined response, per response | 40,000 / hour | Estimated according to the grounds, evidence and required work. |
| Consent-system work or examiner interview, per matter | 40,000 / hour | Preparation and the agreed substantive work; negotiations and other additional work are separately identified. |
Indicative budgets are JPY 20,000–100,000 for a substantive response, JPY 20,000–100,000 for an examiner interview and JPY 20,000–60,000 for consent-system work. These are estimates, not caps. Time-based work is aggregated per matter and billed in 15-minute units of JPY 10,000.
A separately paid JPY 20,000 analysis fee is credited toward our response fee for the same refusal. Full translations, negotiations and other work outside the agreed scope are additional. No trademark success fee is charged.
Example of the Analysis Fee Credit
One international registration, no existing Japan appointment, and a simple amendment after a separately instructed analysis:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Local appointment | 10,000 |
| Standalone analysis | 20,000 |
| Simple amendment response | 20,000 |
| Credit of the analysis fee against the same refusal response | −20,000 |
| Total professional fees | 30,000 |
If the analysis has already been paid, the credit is applied to the response billing. This example excludes translation, additional work, applicable tax and the JPY 4,000 charge per incoming remittance. It is not a fixed fee for every refusal.
Response Deadlines
The ordinary response period is three months from the JPO’s date of pronouncement, rather than the date you forward the notification to us. The actual JPO notice and any applicable procedural rules control. Please send the complete notice promptly, including its date and all annexes; we confirm the deadline for the particular matter.
Extension requests, appeals and exceptional procedures are separately assessed and quoted. Please do not assume that sending an inquiry suspends a deadline.
Grant and payment
Protection Reporting and Japan Designation Fees
Reporting a Statement of Grant of Protection is included for the Japan designation we handle. It does not trigger a separate grant-reporting professional fee.
Current Lump Sum System
For applications and subsequent designations within the system introduced on 1 April 2023, Japan’s individual designation fee is paid with the international application or subsequent designation through WIPO. There is no separate second-part fee or national JPO registration payment on grant.
The designation fee already paid to WIPO is not charged again when we are appointed in Japan.
Legacy Two Part Cases
The two-part system remains relevant where the international application was received by the Office of origin, or the subsequent designation was received by the competent Office or WIPO, on or before 31 March 2023. We check the filing history and the actual WIPO payment notification.
Our professional fee for legacy second-part payment assistance is JPY 10,000 per international registration, plus the CHF amount notified by WIPO. We quote the notified amount and deadline rather than applying a historical tariff to every case.
Central international procedures
Renewals and Recordals Through WIPO
A Madrid international registration is renewed through WIPO, including its Japan designation. Changes of holder name or address and ownership are also recorded centrally. These services are distinct from JPO local appointment and from domestic Japanese trademark renewals.
| Service and billing unit | Professional fee | Official fees |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal of one international registration, up to 3 classes and 10 designations | 50,000 | WIPO basic fee and applicable designation fees, in CHF, at cost |
| Each renewal class beyond 3 | 5,000 | As applicable |
| Each renewal designation beyond 10 | 5,000 | As applicable |
| Standard total or partial ownership change, first international registration | 20,000 | WIPO fee per international registration |
| Each additional international registration in the same ownership request, with identical parties and documents | 10,000 | WIPO fee per international registration |
| Same holder name and/or address change, first international registration in a single request | 20,000 | Applicable WIPO request fee |
| Each additional international registration in that same name/address request | 5,000 | No additional WIPO fee for that same request |
| Complex ownership, entitlement or chain-of-title review | 40,000 / hour | As applicable |
We quote the complete WIPO transaction, including the registrations, classes and designations concerned. WIPO fees are disclosed in CHF and verified for the actual transaction. The USD 30 domestic trademark renewal rate and USD routine JPO recordal rates do not apply to these central procedures.
We act with the holder’s authorization and the necessary WIPO access or signatures, coordinating with the existing international representative. Preparing or filing a WIPO request does not itself authorize replacement of that representative. Partial transfers and the new holder’s entitlement are checked before filing.
Licences Affecting the Japan Designation
Recording a licence only in WIPO’s International Register has no effect as a licence recordal in Japan. Where Japanese licence registration is requested, we handle the separate JPO procedure and confirm its scope.
| Service | Professional fee | Official fee |
|---|---|---|
| Japan licence registration at the JPO, per licence and Japan right | JPY 50,000 | JPY 30,000 |
| Optional WIPO licence recordal for other designated members, per licence request | JPY 20,000 | Applicable WIPO fee in CHF |
Drafting or negotiating the underlying licence is separate. We confirm whether recordal is needed and which national or international procedures are appropriate.
Other Madrid services
Madrid Applications With Japan as Office of Origin
We can also assist eligible applicants with Madrid filings through the JPO as Office of origin. This requires a suitable Japanese basic application or registration and the necessary connection to Japan, such as nationality, domicile or a real and effective establishment. A Japanese trademark filing alone does not establish entitlement.
| Service and billing unit | Professional fee |
|---|---|
| International application, up to 3 classes and 3 Contracting Parties | 100,000 |
| Each application class beyond 3 | 10,000 |
| Each designated Contracting Party beyond 3 | 10,000 |
| Subsequent designation of one international registration directly at WIPO, up to 3 Contracting Parties | 40,000 |
| Each subsequent designated Contracting Party beyond 3 | 10,000 |
WIPO fees and applicable JPO handling fees are additional. The application fee includes routine basic-mark checks, preparation from usable English goods/services, certification coordination, filing and ordinary international-registration reporting. Translation, material reconstruction of the goods/services, substantive irregularities and destination-country refusals are separately estimated.
Subsequent designation cannot expand the international registration’s goods/services beyond its registered scope. We confirm entitlement, coverage and the filing route before preparing a quotation. See our full fee schedule for the applicable official-fee components.
Getting started
Information to Send With Your Instructions
For Japan Local Representation
- International registration number and holder details.
- The complete Japan provisional refusal or other JPO notice, including all annexes.
- The date of the notice, any stated deadline and the date it was received.
- The goods/services and classes to be maintained in Japan.
- Any proposed amendments, prior correspondence, related marks and existing Japan representative details.
- Your reference, requested work, billing details and reporting requirements.
For WIPO Procedures
- The international registration numbers and requested transaction.
- For renewal: the classes and designated members to be renewed.
- For changes: current details, new details and relevant transaction dates.
- The holder’s authorization and the existing international representative’s details.
- Available WIPO access or signature arrangements; we confirm the required authorization separately.
- Supporting documents available for any Japan-specific licence or complex ownership issue.
From Instructions to Completion
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Review
We check the Japan designation, notice, status and requested action.
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Confirm
We confirm acceptance, deadline, authority, scope and estimated costs.
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Respond
We prepare and file the agreed appointment or response and provide an English report.
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Follow Up
We report subsequent developments within the agreed Japan mandate.
Please send instructions at least five business days before a deadline, and earlier where evidence or negotiations are needed. For initial inquiries, provide non-confidential information. An inquiry does not establish an engagement or transfer deadline responsibility; please wait for written acceptance before sending confidential materials.
Frequently asked questions
Madrid Japan Representation Questions
Can you act in Japan while our existing WIPO representative remains appointed?
Yes. Japan local representation is separate from representation before WIPO. We coordinate with your instructions; our local appointment does not replace the existing international representative.
Is the JPY 10,000 appointment fee charged every year?
No. It is charged once for the same appointment, per international registration. Routine POA handling and the stated status reporting are included. There is no annual representation retainer.
Is there an additional appointment charge when a refusal arrives?
Not if we are already appointed for the same international registration. If we are not appointed, the one-time JPY 10,000 local appointment fee applies. Refusal analysis and response work are separate.
Is the analysis fee added again if we instruct a response?
A separately paid JPY 20,000 analysis fee is credited toward our response fee for the same refusal. We identify the analysis, response scope and credit in the quotation or billing.
Do you charge for reporting protection in Japan?
Reporting a Statement of Grant of Protection is included for a designation we handle. There is no separate grant-reporting professional fee.
Is a second-part Japan fee payable for every Madrid designation?
No. The current lump-sum system has no separate second-part fee or national registration payment on grant. Legacy cases may still require a second-part payment. We check the filing history and the individual WIPO notification.
Can we renew a Madrid Japan designation for the USD 30 domestic renewal fee?
No. Madrid renewal is a WIPO transaction, with a professional fee starting at JPY 50,000 for one international registration within the stated class and designation limits, plus WIPO fees. The USD 30 rate applies to the specified domestic JPO renewal procedure.
Does WIPO licence recordal alone record the licence in Japan?
No. A WIPO-only licence recordal has no effect as a Japanese licence recordal. If recordal in Japan is requested, we assess and handle the separate JPO procedure.
Fee schedule revised 4 November 2026. Rates are for work instructed by overseas IP professionals. Professional fees exclude applicable Japanese consumption tax; qualifying export services to non-resident clients are exempt. Any applicable tax is identified in the quotation. Translation, disbursements and other agreed additional work are separate.
JPY is our default invoice and settlement currency. WIPO official fees are stated in CHF at cost. If we convert a WIPO payment to JPY, the actual bank or settlement rate is identified on the invoice; otherwise the settlement currency or conversion basis is agreed in advance. No exchange-rate markup is applied to WIPO fees.
Payment is by bank transfer. Terms are 30 days for approved credit accounts; new relationships or material official-fee outlays may require advance payment. A JPY 4,000 bank/administration charge applies once per incoming remittance, including a consolidated payment. Sending and intermediary bank charges are borne by the payer.
View Fees & Terms → Download the full fee schedule →
Official guidance: JPO guidance for Japan designations · JPO individual-fee payment system · WIPO international registration management · WIPO licence recordals.
Discuss Your Madrid Matter in Japan
Send the international registration number, relevant notice and deadline. We will confirm how we can assist with the Japanese procedure.
Email: info@cita2ip.com · Japan Standard Time: UTC+9