A. Yes, the initial consultation is free of charge. Consultations can be conducted in person, online (via Zoom, Google Meet, etc.), or by phone. Please feel free to contact us via the inquiry form or by phone at 06-7777-1884.

A. Yes, they are. We support major online meeting tools such as Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. We accommodate clients from across Japan and overseas. If you let us know your preferred date and time in advance via the inquiry form, a patent attorney will contact you.

A. Fees vary depending on the type of case (patent, trademark, design, copyright, etc.), technical complexity, number of claims, and number of designated countries. As a general guideline, patent applications start at 〇〇,000 yen, and trademark applications start at 〇〇,000 yen. We provide free estimates, so please let us know the details during our consultation. We will propose the optimal plan tailored to your budget.

A. Of course. While patent attorneys are legally bound by the Patent Attorney Act to maintain confidentiality regarding secrets learned in the course of their duties, we are also happy to sign a separate NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) upon request. We can accommodate NDAs in English, German, Chinese, and other languages. You can consult with us with peace of mind even before your invention or idea is made public.

A. Based in Osaka (our headquarters), we serve clients throughout Japan and internationally. We can also travel to major cities such as Tokyo, Nagoya, and Fukuoka. By utilizing online consultations, we can provide the same high-quality service regardless of location. For international cases, we handle matters in countries around the world through our network of local agents.

A. Yes, we handle all types of international applications, including PCT international patent applications, Madrid Protocol international trademark applications, and Hague Agreement international design applications. We have a strong network of local patent firms around the world—including in the U.S., Europe, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and South America—and provide comprehensive support for our clients’ global expansion.

A. Our standard business hours are 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on weekdays. For urgent matters or clients located far away, we can accommodate requests outside of regular business hours or on weekends with prior reservation. We offer flexible support for situations such as responding to notices of rejection with imminent deadlines or coordinating with overseas agents across different time zones.

A. Yes, we can. We respond promptly to time-sensitive matters, such as filing responses to Office Actions or Notices of Rejection before deadlines, urgent responses to prior use claims, and handling requests for injunctions or applications for provisional measures. We can also propose utilizing the accelerated examination and accelerated trial systems.

A. We generally accept payment via bank transfer upon receipt of an invoice. We accommodate corporate clients, sole proprietors, and individual clients alike. For large-scale projects, we are open to discussing installment payment plans. We are registered as a qualified invoice issuer under the Invoice System.

A. Yes, please feel free to contact us. We serve a wide range of clients regardless of scale or industry, from individual inventors, creators, and authors preparing to launch a startup, to those in the entertainment industry and small business owners. We also propose the use of fee reduction and exemption programs specifically for startups and sole proprietors.

A. A patent is a system that protects "technologically advanced inventions" as exclusive rights following a substantive examination (protection period: 20 years). A utility model is a system that grants early rights to minor inventions related to the "shape, structure, or combination of an article" without examination (protection period: 10 years). We recommend utility models for products with short lifecycles and patents for core technologies. We will propose the optimal filing strategy based on your specific case.

A. Standard trademark registration typically takes about 6 to 8 months from filing to registration. This can be shortened to approximately 2 to 3 months by utilizing the expedited examination system. Publication of the application takes about 1 month, and notification of the examination results takes 4 to 6 months; if there are no grounds for rejection, a notice of intent to register is issued. After payment of the registration fee, the trademark becomes officially registered and can be maintained semi-permanently through renewal every 10 years.

A. We strongly recommend it. Conducting prior art searches (patents), prior trademark searches (trademarks), and prior design searches (designs) in advance allows you to reduce unnecessary application costs and strategically design the scope of your rights. Our firm can accommodate everything from comprehensive searches using specialized databases to simplified searches, depending on your budget. When expanding globally, FTO searches (freedom-to-operate searches) are also important.

A. A Notice of Reasons for Rejection is an opportunity to secure registration by amending or rebutting the grounds. You must typically submit a response, including a statement of opinion and amendments, within 40 to 60 days of receiving the notice. Our firm provides comprehensive support—from analyzing the grounds for rejection and devising a rebuttal strategy to drafting amendments and writing the statement of opinion—in consultation with our clients. We also handle responses to Notices of Reasons for Rejection for applications filed by other firms.

A. Yes, it is possible. A wide range of items can be patented, including AI algorithms themselves, AI training models, data processing methods using AI, and control methods utilizing AI outputs. However, since these are examined as “computer software-related inventions,” it is necessary to clearly describe their technical features. We have extensive experience in patenting LLMs, generative AI, machine learning, and deep learning. We are also well-versed in the AI Inventor Guidelines (revised in 2024).

A. This is an approach that strategically combines patents, utility models, designs, trademarks, copyrights, and the Unfair Competition Prevention Act to provide multi-layered protection for a single product or service. For example, for a smartwatch, the technology is protected by patents, the design by utility models, and the brand name by trademarks. Even after patents expire, long-term competitive advantage can be maintained through utility models and trademarks. We propose the optimal mix tailored to your industry and product characteristics.

A. We can handle these matters. We provide comprehensive support ranging from filing oppositions against third-party trademarks, requesting invalidation trials for third-party patents, appealing rejection decisions, asserting Article 3, Paragraph 2 of the Trademark Act, filing design registration invalidation trials, to litigation to overturn trial decisions (at the Intellectual Property High Court). Our firm has a track record of winning all six trademark registration invalidation trials we have handled. We can provide support from either the defensive or offensive side regarding existing registrations.

A. Yes. We handle intellectual property-related litigation, including patent infringement, trademark infringement, design infringement, and violations of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act. We provide services such as preparing expert opinions and technical explanatory materials, as well as assisting with litigation representation in collaboration with attorneys at all levels of the courts, including District Courts, the Intellectual Property High Court, and the Supreme Court. We also have extensive experience in pre-litigation activities such as sending cease-and-desist letters, negotiations, and settlement proceedings.

A. We offer a dedicated startup support plan. We provide ongoing support from the founding stage through the growth stage, including utilizing fee reduction programs (patent fees reduced by up to one-third for individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises), building IP portfolios with an eye toward an IPO, preparing IP due diligence for venture capital (VC) investors, and creating IP strategy slides for pitch decks. Our representative has experience serving on the board of a startup and specializes in IP strategies from a management perspective.

A. Yes, we can assist. We handle all types of IP licensing, including drafting license agreements for patents, trademarks, designs, and copyrights; designing royalty rates; drafting non-compete clauses; selecting between exclusive and non-exclusive licenses; drafting sublicensing clauses; and addressing governing law and jurisdiction for international licenses. We also draft English and Chinese contract documents to support cross-border transactions.