How do I obtain a utility model in Japan?

Differences in Utility Model registration System in Japan and the U.S.

A utility model registration protects an idea about the shape, structure, or combination of articles. This system exists in Japan, and there is no utility model registration system in the United States.

If you want the utility model registration system, your invention will be registered within a few months without going through an examination. However, since there is no need to go through the examination process, there is a separate, special procedure.

Frequently asked questions about the Japanese utility model system

Does Japan have utility models?

The U.S. does not have a utility model registration system, but Japan does.

Where can utility models be acquired in Japan?

Utility model registrations can be obtained through procedures similar to those for patents.

What kind of protection does a utility model in Japan offer?

It provides almost the same protection for intellectual property as a patent. However, the term of validity is 10 years from the filing date. This is half the expiration date of a patent.

What is the purpose of utility model? 

In fact, few people in Japan use utility model registrations. This is because they are registered without going through the examination procedure, and the utility model rights generated by the registration are considered unreliable.

On the other hand, most people who use them do so for the purpose of asserting their intellectual property rights, if not to actually warn other companies, on the basis that a utility model right has been generated.