【COVID-19】Delay in JPO´s Sending Notifications Due to Temporary Suspension of Acceptance of International Mails at Japan Post

January 18, 2021
Japan Patent Office

1. Due to the global spread of the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), measures have been taken in many countries/regions, such as temporary suspension of accepting international mail items. As a result, international mail items being sent from Japan to some countries have been suspended at the Japan Post from April 2nd, 2020^*1.
   (Please note that depending on the individual circumstances, the acceptance of international mail may be additionally suspended in the future to countries whose mail items are currently being accepted.)
2. In this regard, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) announces that the international mail service suspension stated above has caused delays in its sending certified copies of DECISION TO REFUSE A TRADEMARK REGISTRATION and DECISION TO GRANT A TRADEMARK REGISTRATION for the international trademark applications under the Madrid Protocol to countries where international mail items are currently being suspended at the Japan Post.
3. Going forward, the JPO will announce its state of sending the copies again when the acceptance of international mail is resumed.
4. Under these circumstances, when it is needed to check the ongoing progress in conducting examinations for, and the status of sending, international trademark applications filed at the JPO, please contact the JPO with the international registration numbers and the relation to applicants (if a person who makes an inquiry is not the applicant (e.g. a representative)) at the following contact point. Also, the JPO recommends to refer to Madrid Monitor^*2 of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) website, by which applicants can check the progress report on procedures, and the current status of registrations, for international trademark applications filed under the Madrid system.

• *1 https://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/information/index_en.html (External link)
• *2 https://www3.wipo.int/madrid/monitor/en/ (External link)

[Last updated 18 January 2021]