April 1, 2020 Enforcement of the Design Law Amendment

The “Cabinet Order Setting the Enforcement Date of the Act Amending Part of the Patent Act, etc.” was approved by the Cabinet and came into effect on April 1, 2020 (Reiwa 2).

At our firm, the intellectual property firm EVORIXⓇ, at the request of our client, we began preparations for the application even before the enforcement, and were able to complete the application using electronic application software at 0:00 on April 1, 2020 (actually it may have been a little later).

I have heard that when a new trademark was revised, a patent attorney I knew was the first to apply (act on behalf of me), but I don't know if I can say that I acted as the first person to apply for a design in Japan regarding the design under the revised law, but I would be happy if that was the case.

　I can't say anything about the contents of the design application due to confidentiality, but to the extent that I have received permission from the client, it is classified as an image design.

　With this revision of the Design Law, it is now possible to register image designs and interior/exterior (real estate) designs. Depending on your strategy, it may be a more effective right than a patent.

For inquiries regarding image design and interior/exterior (real estate) design, please contact us by phone or through the inquiry form.

AUTHOR

Takefumi SUGIURA （杉浦 健文）

EVORIX Intellectual Property Law Firm　Managing Patent Attorney

Supports clients across IT, manufacturing, startups, fashion, and medical industries, covering patent, trademark, design, and copyright filings through trials and infringement litigation. Specialized in IP strategy for AI, IoT, Web3, and FinTech. Member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA), Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA), and Japan Trademark Association (JTA).

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