On April 7, 2025, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) registered the first trademark under the “Consent System”, which was introduced in April 2024.

Under this system, even if a trademark is identical or similar to a previously registered one, it may still be registered if the original trademark owner provides written consent and there is no likelihood of confusion between the two marks.

This development allows greater flexibility in brand development, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups, enabling them to coexist and collaborate with existing brands. A key feature of the system is that it allows the use of trademarks that might have previously been rejected due to similarity—provided that both parties reach an agreement.

For more details on this news, please visit the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) website (Japanese only). 
You can also find information about the Trademark Consent System on the Japan Patent Office (JPO) website (Japanese only).