--- title: Japan Refused Your Goods/Services as Vague or Indefinite? How to Fix the Specification in a Madrid Designation description: One of the most common JPO objections against Madrid Protocol designations of Japan targets vague or overly broad goods/services wording. Why descriptions accepted by WIPO still fail in Japan (Trademark Act Article 6), and how a narrowing amendment fixes it. image: https://www.evorix.jp/hubfs/blog-thumbnails/face-japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services.png --- [Skip to content](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services#main-content) - [English](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services) - [Chinese](https://www.evorix.jp/zh/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services) - [Deutsch (German)](https://www.evorix.jp/de/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services) - [Español (Spanish)](https://www.evorix.jp/es/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services) - [Français (French)](https://www.evorix.jp/fr/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services) - [Português (Portuguese)](https://www.evorix.jp/pt/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services) - [한국어 (Korean)](https://www.evorix.jp/ko/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services) English Show submenu for translations [![知的財産事務所エボリクス/EVORIX/大阪/特許・商標・意匠登](https://www.evorix.jp/hs-fs/hubfs/%E7%9F%A5%E7%9A%84%E8%B2%A1%E7%94%A3%E4%BA%8B%E5%8B%99%E6%89%80%E3%82%A8%E3%83%9C%E3%83%AA%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9%20(500%20%C3%97%20250%20px).png?width=500&height=250&name=%E7%9F%A5%E7%9A%84%E8%B2%A1%E7%94%A3%E4%BA%8B%E5%8B%99%E6%89%80%E3%82%A8%E3%83%9C%E3%83%AA%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9%20(500%20%C3%97%20250%20px).png)](https://www.evorix.jp/) - 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How to Fix the Specification in a Madrid Designation ![Picture of Takefumi Sugiura – Japanese Patent Attorney](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/4ef5aa3d824852243e3f9a0ef7c7a511) [Takefumi Sugiura – Japanese Patent Attorney](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/author/takefumi-sugiura-japanese-patent-attorney) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services) [Twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services) ![Japan Refused Your Goods/Services as Vague or Indefinite? How to Fix the Specification in a Madrid Designation](https://www.evorix.jp/hubfs/blog-thumbnails/face-japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services.png) Your Notification of Provisional Refusal from Japan may not cite a conflicting mark at all. One of the most common objections against Madrid Protocol designations of Japan is that the **goods/services wording is vague, indefinite, or too broad**. This is also the most fixable ground on the list — usually by a short amendment — provided you respond by the deadline. Here is why a description that sailed through WIPO fails in Japan, and exactly how to repair it. Table of Contents 1. [Why Japan objects to wording WIPO accepted](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services#a1) 2. [The legal basis: Article 6, Japan Trademark Act](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services#a2) 3. [Typical descriptions that draw the objection](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services#a3) 4. [The JPO usually shows you the answer — read Item VI](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services#a3b) 5. [How to fix it: the narrowing amendment](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services#a4) 6. [Deadline and what happens if you ignore it](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services#a5) 7. [FAQ](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services#faq) ## 1. Why Japan Objects to Wording WIPO Accepted The International Bureau checks that your list of goods and services is classified correctly under the Nice Classification — it does not judge whether each expression is precise enough for substantive examination. Each designated office applies its own clarity standard, and the JPO’s is stricter than many holders expect: every description must let the examiner determine its content and its scope of similarity. Broad catch-all wording drafted for your home registry often fails that test when the designation reaches Japan. ## 2. The Legal Basis: Article 6 of the Japan Trademark Act Article 6(1) requires an application to *designate* the goods or services for which the mark is used; Article 6(2) requires that designation to follow the classes prescribed by Cabinet Order. A description too indefinite to be understood, or one that does not sit within its class, fails these requirements — and Article 15(iii) makes that failure an independent ground for a Decision of Refusal, separate from any conflict with prior marks. ## 3. Typical Descriptions That Draw the Objection | Pattern | Example of the problem | | --- | --- | | **Catch-all wording** | “All goods in this class”, “goods not included in other classes” — no determinable scope | | **Unbounded generalities** | “Machines and apparatus”, “services related to …”, “including but not limited to …” | | **Home-registry jargon** | Expressions customary at your home office but with no established Japanese equivalent | | **Class mismatch** | A term acceptable in itself but listed in a class the JPO considers wrong for it | The Notification identifies which items are objected to. Everything else in your specification is not in dispute — which is exactly why responding is worthwhile. ## The JPO Usually Shows You the Answer — Read Item VI Before Drafting This is the part most holders overlook. A Notification raising a vague-goods objection is typically laid out in two matching parts: | Item | What it contains | | --- | --- | | **Item V — The grounds for refusal** | The legal ground (for a wording objection, Article 6(1)), followed by a bracketed list headed **\[vague/broad description\]** naming the exact terms the examiner objects to, class by class. | | **Item VI** | A statement that the mark **“will be protected if the goods and services are amended/limited as follows”** — with the acceptable replacement wording **underlined**. | The examiner has effectively pre-approved a wording Item VI is not a hint — it is a worked example written by the person who will re-examine your case. Where the suggested wording still covers your commercial interest in Japan, adopting it verbatim is the fastest and lowest-risk route to a Statement of Grant of Protection. The Notification adds that these are examples, and that sometimes no underlined goods/services are shown — an item may even be marked *“no proposal”*, meaning the examiner found no acceptable rewording for it; in that case your attorney rebuilds the list from the JPO’s accepted-wording database, or the item is deleted. One caveat printed on the form itself Immediately below the examples, the Notification states: *“Please note that this suggestion is applied to Ground 1 only. This application, however, still falls under (an)other ground(s) for refusal even if the above description is appropriately amended.”* If your Notification lists a Ground 2 or Ground 3 — an intent-to-use doubt under [Article 3(1)](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-trademark-article-3-1-use-intent-refusal), or a prior-mark citation under [Article 4(1)(xi)](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/article-4-1-11-non-similarity-strategies) — adopting the Item VI wording cures only the wording objection. The other grounds need their own answer in the same response. So the first question is not “how do we argue this?” but **“is the wording the examiner already offered good enough for our business?”** If yes, the response is a short amendment adopting it. If it is too narrow — for example, it strips out a product line you actually sell in Japan — then you negotiate outward from that baseline, which is a far stronger starting position than drafting from scratch. ## 4. How to Fix It: the Narrowing Amendment The standard cure is a written amendment (手続補正書) filed through a Japanese attorney, replacing the objected wording with definite expressions — starting from the underlined wording in Item VI, and otherwise drawn from the JPO’s own accepted-wording lists (the Examination Guidelines for Similar Goods and Services), which examiners accept without further debate. Three rules of thumb: - **Clarify or narrow — never broaden.** Amendments may not extend the original scope. - **Anchor to accepted wording.** A specification rebuilt from listed expressions rarely gets a second objection. - **Keep what matters commercially.** Deleting marginal items is often cheaper than fighting for them. A vague-goods objection frequently arrives combined with a prior-mark citation under [Article 4(1)(xi)](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/article-4-1-11-non-similarity-strategies) — in that case the amendment and the similarity argument are filed together as one response. ## 5. Deadline — and What Happens If You Ignore It The response deadline is the date stated on your Notification (typically three months for overseas holders), and it can be extended — in some cases even after it has passed. See the deadline and extension rules in our [complete guide to responding to a Madrid refusal in Japan](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/madrid-protocol-japan-after-provisional-refusal). If no response is filed, the objection matures into a Decision of Refusal on the application as a whole — do not assume the clean part of your specification will survive on its own (details: [what happens to partially refused designations](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-partial-refusal-do-nothing)). ## Frequently Asked Questions Why did WIPO accept my goods description but Japan refused it? WIPO checks classification formalities; each designated office then applies its own standard of clarity. The JPO examines whether each description is definite under Article 6 of the Japan Trademark Act and its own acceptable-wording lists, so terms that passed the International Bureau can still be objected to as vague in Japan. Can I broaden or swap my goods when responding? No. Amendments in response to a refusal must stay within the original specification — in practice you can clarify, narrow or delete, but not extend. Wording that adds scope will be rejected as an impermissible amendment. Do I lose my filing date by amending the description? No. A permissible clarifying or narrowing amendment keeps the designation and its priority intact; only the wording of the specification changes. What happens if I ignore a vague-goods objection? The objection ripens into a Decision of Refusal. Because the JPO decides on the application as a whole, relying on the unobjected part surviving automatically is not a safe strategy — respond, even if the response is a simple deletion of the problem wording. FOR HOLDERS & FOREIGN COUNSEL ### Received a Provisional Refusal for Japan? Send us the Notification PDF — EVORIX responds to JPO Office Actions for overseas holders. Free assessment and a fixed quote within 3-5 business days. [View Service Page →](https://www.evorix.jp/en/japan-trademark-refusal-response) [Email contact@evorix.jp](mailto:contact@evorix.jp) Related Articles - [Article 3(1) Main Paragraph Refusal in Japan: When the JPO Doubts Your Intent to Use — and How to Prove It](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-trademark-article-3-1-use-intent-refusal) - [Partial Refusal in Japan: Will the Non-Refused Goods Survive If You Do Nothing? — Madrid Protocol Designations](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-partial-refusal-do-nothing) - [Response to Madrid Refusal in Japan: Complete Guide (Deadlines & Options)](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/madrid-protocol-japan-after-provisional-refusal) - [Responding to a JPO Provisional Refusal: A Practical Guide for Foreign Counsel](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/responding-to-jpo-provisional-refusal-foreign-counsel) - [Top 5 Reasons for Trademark Refusals in Japan and How to Overcome Them](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-trademark-refusal-top-5-reasons) - [Article 4(1)(11): Strategies to Argue Non-Similarity in Japan](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/article-4-1-11-non-similarity-strategies) - [Letter of Consent in Japan: Practice After the 2024 Amendment](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/letter-of-consent-japan-2024) - [Cost Estimate: Japan Trademark Office Action Response](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-trademark-cost-2026) Disclaimer This article provides general information about Japanese trademark practice as of September 2026 and does not constitute legal advice. Examination practice and official fees may change; the deadline and options for a specific case depend on the documents actually issued. Please consult a qualified Japanese attorney about your specific matter. Sources - Japan Trademark Act, Articles 3, 6 and 15 (Japanese text) — [laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/334AC0000000127](https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/law/334AC0000000127) - JPO Trademark Examination Guidelines, Part II (Article 3(1) main paragraph) — [www.jpo.go.jp/system/laws/rule/guideline/trademark/kijun/document/index/04\_3-1-hashira.pdf](https://www.jpo.go.jp/system/laws/rule/guideline/trademark/kijun/document/index/04_3-1-hashira.pdf) - JPO Trademark Examination Handbook 41.100.03 (confirmation of use / intent to use) — [www.jpo.go.jp/system/laws/rule/guideline/trademark/binran/document/index/41\_100\_03.pdf](https://www.jpo.go.jp/system/laws/rule/guideline/trademark/binran/document/index/41_100_03.pdf) - JPO notice: extension practice for responses (from January 1, 2022) — [www.jpo.go.jp/system/trademark/shinsa/letter/kyozetu\_entyou\_220101.html](https://www.jpo.go.jp/system/trademark/shinsa/letter/kyozetu_entyou_220101.html) ## Related posts [![Partial Refusal in Japan: Will the Non-Refused Goods Survive If You Do Nothing? — Madrid Protocol Designations](https://www.evorix.jp/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-thumbnails/face-japan-madrid-partial-refusal-do-nothing.png?height=200&name=face-japan-madrid-partial-refusal-do-nothing.png)](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-partial-refusal-do-nothing) ## [Partial Refusal in Japan: Will the Non-Refused Goods Survive If You Do Nothing? — Madrid Protocol Designations](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-partial-refusal-do-nothing) ![Picture of Takefumi Sugiura – Japanese Patent Attorney](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/4ef5aa3d824852243e3f9a0ef7c7a511) [Takefumi Sugiura – Japanese Patent Attorney](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/author/takefumi-sugiura-japanese-patent-attorney) 2026/09/02 Many Notifications of Provisional Refusal from Japan carry a detail that looks reassuring: the... [Read more](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-partial-refusal-do-nothing) [![Article 3(1) Main Paragraph Refusal in Japan: When the JPO Doubts Your Intent to Use — and How to Prove It](https://www.evorix.jp/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-thumbnails/face-japan-trademark-article-3-1-use-intent-refusal.png?height=200&name=face-japan-trademark-article-3-1-use-intent-refusal.png)](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-trademark-article-3-1-use-intent-refusal) ## [Article 3(1) Main Paragraph Refusal in Japan: When the JPO Doubts Your Intent to Use — and How to Prove It](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-trademark-article-3-1-use-intent-refusal) ![Picture of Takefumi Sugiura – Japanese Patent Attorney](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/4ef5aa3d824852243e3f9a0ef7c7a511) [Takefumi Sugiura – Japanese Patent Attorney](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/author/takefumi-sugiura-japanese-patent-attorney) 2026/09/02 Some JPO refusals do not cite anyone else’s trademark. A refusal under the main paragraph of... [Read more](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-trademark-article-3-1-use-intent-refusal) [![Madrid Protocol in Japan: What to Expect After the Provisional Refusal](https://www.evorix.jp/hs-fs/hubfs/Gemini_Generated_Image_widt6nwidt6nwidt.jpg?height=200&name=Gemini_Generated_Image_widt6nwidt6nwidt.jpg)](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/madrid-protocol-japan-after-provisional-refusal) ## [Response to Madrid Refusal in Japan: Deadlines, Options & What Happens Next After a JPO Provisional Refusal](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/madrid-protocol-japan-after-provisional-refusal) ![Picture of Takefumi Sugiura – Japanese Patent Attorney](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/4ef5aa3d824852243e3f9a0ef7c7a511) [Takefumi Sugiura – Japanese Patent Attorney](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/author/takefumi-sugiura-japanese-patent-attorney) 2026/05/23 You designated Japan through the Madrid Protocol — and now a document titled “Notification of... [Read more](https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/madrid-protocol-japan-after-provisional-refusal) --- [![知的財産事務所エボリクス/EVORIX/大阪/特許・商標・意匠登](https://www.evorix.jp/hs-fs/hubfs/%E7%9F%A5%E7%9A%84%E8%B2%A1%E7%94%A3%E4%BA%8B%E5%8B%99%E6%89%80%E3%82%A8%E3%83%9C%E3%83%AA%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9%20(500%20%C3%97%20250%20px).png?width=500&height=250&name=%E7%9F%A5%E7%9A%84%E8%B2%A1%E7%94%A3%E4%BA%8B%E5%8B%99%E6%89%80%E3%82%A8%E3%83%9C%E3%83%AA%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9%20(500%20%C3%97%20250%20px).png "知的財産事務所エボリクス/EVORIX/大阪/特許・商標・意匠登")](https://www.evorix.jp) Intellectual Property Law Firm EVORIX   4th Floor, Qus-Hiranomachi Building, 3-1-2 Hiranomachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 541-0046 Japan Mail: [contact@evorix.jp](mailto:contact@evorix.jp) TEL: +81-6-7777-1884 - [Hague International Design Application](https://www.evorix.jp/hague-design-application) - [Madrid Protocol International Trademark Application](https://www.evorix.jp/madrid-protocol-trademark) - [Amazon IP Infringement Support](https://www.evorix.jp/amazon-infringement) - [About Us](https://www.evorix.jp/about) - [Our Attorneys](https://www.evorix.jp/staff) - [Services](https://www.evorix.jp/contents) - [Consultation Process](https://www.evorix.jp/consultation) - [Blog](https://www.evorix.jp/blog) - [Careers](https://www.evorix.jp/recruit) - [Trademark Portfolio](https://www.evorix.jp/trademark-list) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.evorix.jp/hubfs/%E8%B3%87%E6%96%99/HP-%E3%83%97%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4%E3%83%90%E3%82%B7%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9D%E3%83%AA%E3%82%B7%E3%83%BC.pdf) - [Contact](https://www.evorix.jp/inquiry) ---   Copyright © 2026, Intellectual Property Law Firm EVORIX® All rights reserved.  ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Takefumi Sugiura – Japanese Patent Attorney", "url" : "https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/author/takefumi-sugiura-japanese-patent-attorney" }, "dateModified" : "2026-09-02T06:47:39.771Z", "datePublished" : "2026-09-02T06:49:36.000Z", "headline" : "Japan Refused Your Goods/Services as Vague or Indefinite? How to Fix the Specification in a Madrid Designation", "image" : [ "https://www.evorix.jp/hubfs/blog-thumbnails/face-japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.evorix.jp/hubfs/%E7%9F%A5%E7%9A%84%E8%B2%A1%E7%94%A3%E4%BA%8B%E5%8B%99%E6%89%80%E3%82%A8%E3%83%9C%E3%83%AA%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9%20(500%20%C3%97%20250%20px).png" }, "name" : "知的財産事務所エボリクス" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "jobTitle" : "Patent Attorney (Benrishi)", "name" : "SUGIURA Takefumi", "url" : "https://www.evorix.jp/staff", "worksFor" : { "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "EVORIX IP Firm" } }, "dateModified" : "2026-09-02", "datePublished" : "2026-09-02", "description" : "One of the most common JPO objections against Madrid Protocol designations of Japan targets vague or overly broad goods/services wording. Why descriptions accepted by WIPO still fail in Japan (Trademark Act Article 6), and how a narrowing amendment fixes it.", "headline" : "Japan Refused Your Goods/Services as Vague or Indefinite? How to Fix the Specification in a Madrid Designation", "image" : [ { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.evorix.jp/hubfs/blog-thumbnails/face-japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services.png" } ], "inLanguage" : "en", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.evorix.jp/en/blog/japan-madrid-refusal-vague-goods-services", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "EVORIX IP Firm", "url" : "https://www.evorix.jp" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "FAQPage", "mainEntity" : [ { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "WIPO checks classification formalities; each designated office then applies its own standard of clarity. The JPO examines whether each description is definite under Article 6 of the Japan Trademark Act and its own acceptable-wording lists, so terms that passed the International Bureau can still be objected to as vague in Japan." }, "name" : "Why did WIPO accept my goods description but Japan refused it?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "No. Amendments in response to a refusal must stay within the original specification — in practice you can clarify, narrow or delete, but not extend. Wording that adds scope will be rejected as an impermissible amendment." }, "name" : "Can I broaden or swap my goods when responding?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "No. A permissible clarifying or narrowing amendment keeps the designation and its priority intact; only the wording of the specification changes." }, "name" : "Do I lose my filing date by amending the description?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The objection ripens into a Decision of Refusal. Because the JPO decides on the application as a whole, relying on the unobjected part surviving automatically is not a safe strategy — respond, even if the response is a simple deletion of the problem wording." }, "name" : "What happens if I ignore a vague-goods objection?" } ] } ```