Non-Conventional Trademarks under Consideration
Conventional trademarks consist of letters, pictures and other graphic symbols generally shown in two dimensions. In addition, there are new types of trademarks known as non-conventional trademarks which include movement marks, sound marks and other innovative marks. The JPO is planning to establish a new system to provide protection to non-conventional trademarks.
With the rapid spread of the internet, non-conventional trademarks are becoming widely accepted. The United States and many countries in Europe already provide protections to certain non-conventional trademarks. International interest in establishing a system that protects the non-conventional trademarks is growing.
The JPO is now reviewing which types of marks they should allow to be protected as non-conventional trademarks and how such marks should be examined and protected. They plan to announce the results of the study in January next year.
For details, please refer to the web page below (in Japanese only):
http://www.meti.go.jp/press/20080728005/20080728005.pdf