Following the amendment to the Appended Table of the Ministerial Ordinance (the Ordinance for Partial Revision of the Regulation for Enforcement of the Trademark Act; Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Ordinance No. 79 of December 12, 2025), the Japan Patent Office (JPO) has released the revised “Examination Guidelines for Similar Goods and Services” to reflect these changes. These guidelines will come into effect on January 1, 2026.
In this revision, multiple changes have been made particularly regarding the classes of goods and services. Therefore, for applications filed on or after January 1, 2026, it is necessary to proceed with procedures while paying close attention to the differences from previous versions.
For details on the changes regarding the classes, descriptions of goods/services and similar group codes, please refer to the JPO website.
Main Changes to the Examination Guidelines for Similar Goods and Services [Compatible with the NICE International Classification, 13th Edition – Version 2026] https://www.jpo.go.jp/system/laws/rule/guideline/trademark/ruiji_kijun/document/ruiji_kijun13-2026/01_henkouten.pdf
List of Changes in the Examination Guidelines for Similar Goods and Services [Compatible with the NICE International Classification, 13th Edition – Version 2026] https://www.jpo.go.jp/system/laws/rule/guideline/trademark/ruiji_kijun/document/ruiji_kijun13-2026/02_henkouten_ichiran.pdf