No Trade mark in Era Names in Japan

The Japanese Government plans to implement new trademark rules where no era names can be registered as trademarks.

The government will revise its trademark application screening criteria, which currently rejects any trademark in the current era names.

The government will ensure that no one can register a trademark in the name Heisei, the current era name after the era changes or the new era name if it is announced beforehand.

They are planning to amend the examination guidelines for trademarks to ensure that no era names, including the past names, can be registered as trademarks.

After the amendment is the rules, there will be exceptions for well-known names like Meiji Holdings Co.

Although the current guidelines only reject the use of the current era name, the Japan Patent Office refuses to approve trademarks using any past era names.

The policy is yet unwritten. This has given rise to a mistaken belief that registration of trademarks containing Heisei will be possible after the era changes next year.

Some even wrongly speculate about what they claim are business opportunities arising from trademarks containing the new era name if they are registered before the era change.

The revised guidelines will specifically mention that no trademark can be registered in any era name, either past or present.

However, there is opportunity for exceptions for existing well-known trademarks and combinations with proper nouns such as Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. and Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko.