Message from the Chairman of the NCIPI
In the 21st century, when information and knowledge are essential for
adding value to products, it is important for us to stimulate intellectualcreation which is a powerful driving force in industrial activities. In order to vitalize our economy
and promote the creation of new businesses, the industrial property system must function more
effectively than ever as a means to protect intellectual property appropriately and to promote theeffective utilization of such property.
Under these circumstances, the National Center for Industrial Property Information and Training(NCIPI) intends to make enormous efforts, in cooperation with the Japan Patent Office (JPO), tofulfill its responsibilities, which include providing access to patent gazettes and other patent-related
information, offering consultation services, promoting patent licensing, training specialists, anddeveloping human resources, in a timely and appropriate manner. The NCIPI’s underlying
objective is to improve and fortify the infrastructure of the industrial property system, whichprimarily consists of “information” and “human resources” and to create an “environment” tofacilitate the effective utilization of the components of this infrastructure.
We aim to increase public understanding of the industrial property system. To this end, we continue
to make unified efforts to support the creation and exploitation of intellectual property while making
the best use of our mobility and flexibility to attain the organization-wide objectives of creating anideal environment for intellectual property.
Isamu Shimizu
ChairmanNational Center for Industrial Property Information and Training

H
Hiissttoorryy ooff tthhee NNCCIIPPIIJune 1884zz

 December 1887z

The Archives Section of the Trademark Registry within theEngineering Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Commercestarts to provide access to books, other reference materials, andtrademark samples for inspection.
The Archives Section starts to provide access to patent
specifications for inspection in April 1885.

z

A library is established within the General Affairs Department ofthe Patent Office in the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce.
An exhibition hall is established in a (Correct?) branch office ofthe library.

January 1918z

The exhibition hall is annexed to the library as the Exhibition Center.

 December 1924z

The library is integrated into the Exhibition Center.

May 1941z

The Application Consultation Office is established within theApplication Division of the Patent OfficeAugust 1952z

The Exhibition Center changes its name to the Universal
Industrial Property Information Center.

October 1986z

The Center starts to provide access to a Comprehensive
Reference Database (containing electronic data of gazettes
already published in paper format) for inspection.

January 1993z

The Center starts to use electronic gazettes (patent/utility model
gazettes in CD-ROM format).

April 1997z

The Center changes its name to the National Center for Industrial
Property Information and starts to provide consultation services
on industrial property as well as to promote information diffusion.

January 2000z

The NCIPI starts to provide access to data in the Industrial
Property Digital Library for inspection in its Gazette Reading Room.

April 2001z

The NCIPI becomes an independent administrative agency.

October 2004z

The NCIPI changes its name to the National Center for Industrial
Property Information and Training and starts to distribute industrial
property information and to provide training programs for humanresource development.

Organization
National Center for Industrial Property Information and TrainingExecutive Manager for Human Resources Development

Chairman
ExecutiveDirector

General Affairs Department
Reference Library Department

AuditorConsultation Department
Licensing Promotion Department

Information Dissemination Department((PPrroovviiddiinngg PPAAJJ,, IIPPD
DLLoonn tthhee IInntteerrnneett,, eettcc..））
Training Department
Human Resources Development Department

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As reported in issue No.33, the National Center for Industrial Property Information andTraining (NCIPI) took over from the Japan Patent Office in October 1, 2004 a number of
responsibilities including the management and development of both the Patent Abstracts of Japan(PAJ) and the Industrial Property Digital Library (IPDL). Therefore, we have changed ourhomepage address from “http://www.ipdl.jpo.go.jp/homepg_e.ipdl” to“http://www.ipdl.ncipi.go.jp/homepg_e.ipdl.” Our new address is formed by replacing “jpo”
with “ncipi”.
The various procedures for accessing the new IPDL homepage is explained below.

Homepage address: http://www.ncipi.go.jp/Homepage address:
http://www.ipdl.ncipi.go.jp/homepg_e.ipdl

Click here!

TThhee N
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NC
CIIP
Hoom
meeppaaggee

Click here!
TThhee IIP
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meeppaaggee
TThhee JJaappaann P
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From the NCIPI homepage and the JPO homepage (http://www.jpo.go.jp/), we are able toaccess the IPDL homepage. Click on “Industrial Property Digital Library (IPDL)” to access the IPDL
homepage.
Users who have a link to the JPO homepage and who have bookmarked the JPO
homepage address are kindly requested to replace the old address with the new one immediately.
As an interim measure, users were able to access the JPO homepage with the old address, butplease note that since the end of November 2004, users have not been able to access the IPDL
homepage with the old address.

R
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The Japan Patent Office will adopt a new Japanese Design Classification and new D-terms
on January 1, 2005. The notation of the Japanese Design Classification and D-terms will change inaccordance with the change in the classification structure, as indicated below.

WWhhaatt iiss tthhee JJaappaanneessee D
Deessiiggnn C
Cllaassssiiffiiccaattiioonn??
The Japanese Design Classification categorizes articles primarily according to their usage.
The Japanese Design Classification is divided into groups ranging from A to N, each of which isfurther divided into major classes, minor classes, and appearance classes (i.e., classified
according to appearance), and consists of about five thousand classification branches.

The Classification Structure

H540Group

Major Class

Minor Class

Single letter

Single digit

One to five digits

AAAppearance
ClassOne to three letters

Appearance of an article

Use of an article

WWhhaatt iiss aa DD--tteerrmm??
A D-term is a computer search key which further divides design classifications andcategorizations. A D-term takes into account the features of each design from multiple viewpoints
and categorizes the materials for examination from a viewpoint which differs from designclassification. The IPDL makes available the D-term search keys in Japanese.

The Classification Structure

DEF

AC02

Theme CodeViewpoint Symbol

Expansion

Three letters

Two letters
The 1st letter in the viewpoint
symbol (A to F) indicates themeaning below.

Two digitsA: Use
B: Function
C: Form

D: Pattern
E: Structure
F: Material

Outline of the Japanese Design Classification/D-Term Revision（１） Unification of Appearance Class and D-terms（２） Reorganization of the Japanese Design Classification（３） Revision adopted as of January 1, 2005
（１） Unification of Japanese Design Classification and D-terms✦The Japanese Design Classification presently consists of groups, Major classes, minorclasses, and appearance classes. However, as of January 1, 2005, it will consistof groups, major classes, and minor classes.
✦Appearance classes are integrated into D-terms.

Present Japanese Design Classification
Japanese Design ClassificationH5GroupD-terms

40

AA

DEF

AC

Theme code Viewpoint
symbolMajor Class Minor Class Appearanceclass02
Expansion

Appearance class and D-terms are integrated.

Group41

BC

Minor Class

D-terms

5H

Major ClassNew Japanese Design Classification & D-terms
Japanese Design Classification and D-terms: Notation**

PresentJapanese DesignClassification

D-terms
Note:

As of January 1, 2005

A1−12345ABC（Maximum: Eleven figures*）ZZZYY12（Maximum: Seven figures*）

A1−12345（Maximum: Eight figures*）

A1−12345ABC（Maximum: Eleven figures*）* A hyphen (−) is counted as a figure.
** The Japanese Design Classification is always indicated before the D-terms.

Usage of new Classifications✦Each document always has only one classification in the Japanese Design Classification.
✦With regard to D-terms, each document has one or more D-terms.
If a document has more than one D-term, the D-terms belong to the same classification.

ExamplesPresent

As of January 1, 2005

2004-12345

2005-00001

Japanese DesignClassification

H4-330Ｄ-terms

HTA BA02
HTA CA01

Oneclassification

H7-6242

Oneclassification

Pluralclassifications

H7-6242AA
H7-6242BB

PluralD-terms（× H1-3434A）(Maximum: Seven)（２）Reorganization of the Japanese Design Classification✦The Japan Patent Office reorganizes the Japanese Design Classification on the basis of current
filing trends and adds classifications for new goods in all fields.
〈Vastly Reorganized Classification〉✦D1 and D2 are abolished and reorganized into D6 and D7.
✦F4 and F5 are abolished and reorganized into F4~6.
✦H3~5 are abolished and reorganized into H6 and H7.
✦L4~L6 are reorganized, L5 is abolished, and L7 is established.
（３）As of January 1, 2005
✦The JPO will start to classify applications for design registration according to the newJapanese Design Classification as of January 1, 2005.
✦The present Japanese Design Classification will be used for applications
for design registration filed by December 31, 2004 and the corresponding notation willappear in the Design Gazette when a design registration is published, even in Design Gazettes
which arepublished after January 1, 2005.

Contact
Design Division,Trademark, Design and Administrative Affairs Department, JPO
e-mail: PA1501@jpo.go.jp

Notice: Incorrect data in some parts of the abstracts in the PAJ
With regard to the Patent Abstracts of Japan, some errors were discovered in the data inthe PAJ CD-ROMs issued from April 2004 to August 2004. For more detailed information, pleasesee “List of the Issue.” In order to remedy this problem, we produced a modified version of the PAJ
CD-ROMs and in November 2004 sent it to each agency which has been exchanging intellectual
property information with us regularly. Please replace the incorrect PAJ CD-ROM with the modifiedversion. We apologize for any inconvenience.

List of the issue
Month of Publication
1234567891011121314
15
16
1718
1920
21
2223
24

January2004

February 2004March2004

April2004

May2004

Publication Number
2004102
2004- 2331
2004- 16134
2004- 27286
2004- 35939
2004- 36806
2004- 41263
2004- 44028
2004- 45944
2004- 49683
2004- 51410
2004- 53833
2004- 57738
2004- 67543
2004- 77773
2004- 77957
2004- 82163
2004- 90587
2004- 91270
2004- 117500
2004- 123904
2004- 125706
2004- 133720
2004- 137754

In regard to this problem, please feel free to contact the Japan Patent Information
Organization (JAPIO), which is in charge of producing the PAJ CD-ROM data, as indicated below.

Government Business and Entrusted Activity Department
Japan Patent Information Organization
Tel: +81-3-3615-5510
Fax: +81-3-3615-5520
E-mail:service@japio.or.jp