New financial support | Promoting brand protection and export strength overseas

Starting in fiscal year 7, the Japan Association for Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Food Technology Advancement (JATAFF), a public interest incorporated association, has begun accepting applications for "Overseas Trademark Registration Application Support" and "Overseas Infringement Countermeasure Support" as part of an emergency countermeasure project to protect Japanese agricultural products and varieties and help strengthen export capabilities by preventing the outflow of new plant varieties and other products overseas.
This program subsidizes the costs associated with applications for intellectual property rights and disputes, as a measure against the risk of varieties and agricultural products developed and produced in Japan being copied or used without permission overseas.
This support measure will be a major boost for breeders and agricultural corporations working to expand exports, both in terms of maintaining brand value and ensuring market competitiveness.

Overview of the new support system

There are two types of this system depending on the purpose and recipients of support:

Support for overseas trademark registration applications

Objectives and Overview

This is a system that subsidizes the application costs for trademarks, designs, patents, geographical indications, etc. overseas, with the aim of protecting the brands and promoting exports of Japanese agricultural products and processed goods.

 Supplementary content

The details of the assistance are as follows. For more details, please see the JATAFF support website and materials.

• Eligible applications: Agricultural products, etc. (including marine products and food products) produced in Japan
• Intellectual property covered: trademarks, patents, designs, geographical indications, etc.
• Subsidy rate:
  - Important agricultural products for strengthening exports (detailsJATAFF Documents(see reference) is a fixed price
  
  Agricultural products etc. that are fully eligible for subsidy:
  Beef, pork, chicken, eggs, milk and dairy products, fruits (apples, grapes, peaches, citrus fruits, persimmons and persimmon products), vegetables (strawberries, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables), cut flowers, tea, rice, packaged rice, rice flour and rice flour products, lumber, plywood, yellowtail, sea bream, scallops, pearls, colored carp, soft drinks, confectionery, miso and soy sauce, and other agricultural products that are considered important for strengthening Japan's export power.

  ・Otherwise, within 1/2

• * Alcoholic beverages such as sake (Japanese sake), whiskey, authentic shochu, and awamori are not eligible for subsidies.
• Eligible expenses: Application fees, search fees, attorney fees, translation fees, etc.
  *Renewal fees and costs related to renewal are not covered.
• Implementation period: From the date of grant decision to March 8, 3

Support for overseas infringement countermeasures

Objectives and Overview

This is a system that supports the costs of measures against unauthorized cultivation and imitation overseas of Japanese cultivated varieties and agricultural products. It covers a wide range of responses to infringement, including warnings, disputes, and investigations.

Supplementary content

The details of the assistance are as follows. For more details, please see the JATAFF support website and materials.

• Eligible for support: Varieties or agricultural products (including marine products and food) developed in Japan
  *Priority selection criteria available
• Supported cases: Infringement, doubts and disputes concerning breeder's rights, trademark rights, etc.
• Subsidy rate: Fixed amount
• Eligible expenses: Lawyer/patent attorney fees, appraisal/investigation fees, litigation support fees, interpretation/translation fees, etc.
• Implementation period: Same as above

Those who can use the system

This system makes it possible for those who export Japanese agricultural products and wish to protect the brand of agricultural products overseas, those who have experienced damage from counterfeit products, unauthorized use, or misappropriated trademarks overseas, and those who are currently exporting cultivated varieties or developing or preparing to develop a seed business, to realize these goals with an extremely low financial burden. It will be an opportunity for those who have given up on obtaining rights or dealing with infringement due to the cost, and those who are thinking about protecting agricultural products in the future, to consider this system.

There are several conditions for use, so we have summarized the conditions for those who can use the system below. If any of these apply to you, please consider using it.

● Who can use the service (eligible applicants)

• A person who is a right holder who applies for intellectual property rights and deals with infringements related to varieties and agricultural products produced or cultivated in Japan
• The above intellectual property is expected to lead to strengthening export capabilities overseas.
• Expenses incurred during the application and response period must be reported and managed appropriately.
• Submit your application to the appropriate institution during the application period (April 2025, 4 to May 16, 2025).

Where to apply for the program

To use the system, you must first submit an application during the application period.(October 2025, 4-April 16, 2025)Please check the following website for the application format and where to apply.

General information on plant variety protection(External link)

Why choose HARAKENZO?

In order to make the most of the system and to strategically and reliably file and respond to requests, it is effective to use a patent attorney corporation that has expertise in both intellectual property and agriculture. Our firm has established the following structure regarding this system.

Specialists in agriculture and intellectual property will be on hand

Expertise in the agricultural field is essential for filing applications and dealing with infringements related to agricultural products and cultivated varieties. Our firm has two patent attorneys with doctoral degrees in agriculture who can provide support from both a scientific and practical perspective. Our "agriculture and intellectual property" professionals combine expertise in trademark and variety protection with an understanding of the agricultural field to provide strong support for business operators' intellectual property strategies.

Support network expanding both domestically and internationally

In addition to our domestic bases in Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Nagoya, we have established foreign support offices in 12 countries. Through a liaison system with affiliated patent attorneys and agents who are familiar with the local circumstances and legal systems, we can quickly and accurately handle applications and disputes in each country. We also have a reliable system in place that allows us to handle simultaneous applications and responses in multiple countries all at once.

A track record of numerous government projects

We have a strong track record as a designated agent in Japan for overseas plant variety registrations, and have supported and represented numerous applications for a wide range of varieties. We have also supported numerous overseas trademark registrations for the Geographical Indication (GI) mark and the JAS mark, which are representative of Japan's regional brands and quality indications. We are also familiar with the trademark registration systems of many countries, and have a wealth of experience in registrations in countries across Europe, Asia, and the United States.

Counterfeit prevention measures are also provided as a set

A company with a track record of receiving government contractsOnline Intellectual Property Patrol®" allows us to continue to monitor counterfeit products even after filing. This is particularly effective in EC monitoring in Asian markets and early detection of fraudulent applications. Our strength is that we can provide comprehensive support, including measures to "protect" your trademark after filing an overseas trademark application.

One-stop service from consultation to execution

"Plant Variety Registration/Agribusiness consultation""Regional Revitalization Intellectual Property Support Office""Government Office Support Office""Global Support Stations" We have established a one-stop system to provide smooth intellectual property-related services, such as:

For those who wish to receive consultation or application support

Please feel free to contact us first. We will fully support your export strategy and brand protection from the intellectual property perspective.