Wang Xinyan

Partner/Representative of Japan Branch

Senior trademark agent with over 10 years of experience in trademark agency, certified as a first-class trademark agent by the China Trademark Association

Geographical indication refers to the indication that a certain product originates from a certain region, and its specific quality, reputation, or other characteristics are mainly determined by the natural or cultural factors of that region. In China, geographical indications can be applied for registration as proof trademarks or collective trademarks. Many countries, like China, also include geographical indications in their trademark system for registration and protection.

In order to build local brands and promote local economic development, Japan introduced the regional group trademark system on April 1, 2006 (equivalent to a collective geographical indication trademark, for ease of introduction, this article uniformly uses the literal translation in Japanese - regional group trademark). The biggest differences between Japan and China's geographical indication trademark protection system are threefold: firstly, Japan only has collective trademarks and no certification trademarks; Secondly, it includes not only commodity trademarks but also service trademarks; Thirdly, the trademark logo itself can only be a pure text combination of a place name and a product/service name.

Article 7-2 of the Japanese Trademark Law is a provision for regional group trademarks, which stipulates the applicant's subject qualifications, the constituent elements of the trademark, etc. Collective organizations such as business cooperation associations or agricultural cooperation associations, trade unions, chambers of commerce and industry, NPO legal persons, etc. can register the "place name+commodity/service name" trademark as a regional group trademark if it is used on goods/services closely related to the region and reaches a certain level of popularity within a certain geographical area.

1. Applicant's Subject Qualification

The applicant for a regional group trademark can be the following entities:

① A combination established according to special laws such as business collaboration combinations (not only must it have legal personality, but the special law used as the basis for establishment must also ensure that eligible members can freely join);

② Trade unions, chambers of commerce and industry, or NPO legal entities;

③ Equivalent to a foreign legal entity that meets the requirements of element ① or ②.

In order to demonstrate compliance with the applicant's eligibility requirements, proof documents such as a "Registration Item Certificate" need to be submitted during the application process.

2. Trademark composition

The trademark symbol that can be registered as a regional group trademark must be a pure text combination trademark of "place name+product/service name".

① The trademark is a pure text trademark and cannot have additional graphic elements added, or the text itself cannot be graphically designed;

② The term 'place name' is not limited to existing administrative divisions, but can also refer to old place names, names of mountains, rivers, seas, etc. It can refer to the place of origin of goods, the place where services are provided, etc;

③ The 'product/service name' can be a generic name for the product/service or a common name;

④ The trademark of "place name+product/service name" as a whole cannot be a generic name for goods.

3. Examples of Regional Group Trademark Registration

According to J-PlatPat search in Japan, as of the end of June 2025, there are a total of 782 registered regional group trademarks in Japan. Next, let's take a look at several specific examples of registered trademarks.

The trademark number 5002567 is a very typical regional group trademark for agricultural products, located in the Arita area of Wakayama Prefecture. Due to its unique terrain, as well as conditions such as sunlight, soil, and temperature, it is very suitable for the growth of oranges. The orange production in this area ranks first in Japan, accounting for about 10% of Japan's total production. This trademark is applied for by the Agricultural Cooperative Association of Wakayama County and is available for use by members of the association.

If you like Japanese tea sets, you should not be unfamiliar with Mino yaki. Mino yaki has a history of over a thousand years, and today's Dongnong area in Gifu Prefecture, formerly known as Mino Province, has a long history of pottery making and is also the largest pottery production base in Japan. Nowadays, whether it is the tableware used in ordinary Japanese households, restaurants, hotels, etc., the presence of Mino yaki can be seen everywhere. On April 1, 2006, on the day of the implementation of the regional group trademark system in Japan, the Gifu Prefecture Ceramic Industry Cooperative Association submitted an application and successfully obtained the registration of trademark number 5027724 .

The trademark No. 5069264 is a very typical service based regional group trademark. Yokohama Chinatown is one of the three major Chinatown streets in Japan. In the mid-19th century, Yokohama Port was opened to the public, and a large number of foreigners began to live here. Overseas Chinese from Guangdong and other places also brought Chinese cuisine here. Now, when we talk about the Chinese Street in Yokohama, it immediately reminds us of the numerous Chinese restaurants with various Chinese cuisines, which can be eaten at home or served as various Chinese Dim sum.

4. Comparison of registered instances between China and Japan

Through J-PlatPat search, one registration from a Chinese applicant was found. Next, we will compare the registration status of the applicant in China and Japan.

The applicant for this trademark is the Vinegar Industry Association of Zhenjiang City, China. Through searching on the China Trademark Network, it was found that the applicant has also obtained collective trademark registration for the same trademark in China. Through the comparison in the table below, it is not difficult to find that the biggest difference is the designated product name. The designated product registered in China is "vinegar", while the designated product registered in Japan is "vinegar made in the Zhenjiang area using glutinous rice produced in Zhenjiang, China". Japanese regional group trademarks impose clear geographical limitations on designated goods or services.

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5. Points to note for Chinese applicants applying for regional group trademarks in Japan

If a Chinese applicant intends to apply for a regional group trademark in Japan, the following points should be noted:

① The applicant must meet the eligibility criteria and provide proof of their eligibility;

② The trademark name is a pure text "place name+product/service name". If it has already been registered in China, but the trademark design includes graphics or the text has been artistically designed to have distinctiveness due to its design, it is recommended to delete the graphic part and use ordinary fonts as much as possible in order to successfully obtain registration in Japan;

③ The designated product name must be accompanied by geographical restrictions, such as "○○ (product name) produced in XX region (place name)", "○○ (product name) mainly made from △ △ produced in XX region (place name)", "○○ (service name) provided in XX region (place name)", etc;

④ The key to obtaining registration for a regional group trademark is that the product or service has formed a close connection with the region and has gained a certain level of popularity among consumers. Therefore, proof of association and popularity must be provided.

References:

1. The Japanese Trademark Law

2. Japanese Trademark Examination Standards