2 Desirable Design System toward Accession to the Hague
Agreement for the International Registration of Industrial
Designs (*)
With the globalization of the economy, industrial designs created in Japan are actively filed in countries
around the world. However, procedures for obtaining a design right cause a heavy burden due to differences inthe design systems of countries, and Japanese companies desire the simplification of the procedures and the
reduction of expenses.
With such background, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) is considering acceding to the Geneva Act of theHague Agreement. Under the Agreement, it is possible to obtain the same effect as that obtained by filing
applications with multiple contracting parties by submitting one application to the International Bureau.
However, development of the legal system and review of operations are necessary for Japan's accession thereto.
Given this factor, we conducted this study with the aim of preparing basic materials to be used inconsidering a desirable design system of Japan in light of the Japan's accession to the Geneva Act of the Hague
Agreement, the way by which Japanese applicants can effectively use the international application system in thecase where Japan accedes to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement, the relationships with the domestic legal
system, and effects on the JPO's operations.

Ⅰ Introduction
1

Background and purpose of this study

With the globalization of the economy,
industrial designs created in Japan are actively
filed in countries around the world. However,procedures for obtaining a design right cause aheavy burden due to differences in the design
systems of countries, and Japanese companies
desire the simplification of the procedures andthe reduction of expenses.
With such background, the JPO is
considering acceding to the Geneva Act of theHague Agreement. Under the Agreement, it ispossible to obtain the same effect as that obtainedby filing applications with multiple contracting
parties by submitting one application to theInternational Bureau.
Japan's accession to the Geneva Act of theHague Agreement promotes the simplification of
the procedures, including making it possible forJapanese applicants to file applications in multiple
countries in a single language (English) in a
simplified manner, and is also supposed to haveanother advantage, that is, reduction of expenses.
However, the Geneva Act of the Hague
Agreement has systems that do not exist in Japan,such as the one application for multiple designs
system and the deferred publication system, butdoes not have a secret design system, which is asystem unique to Japan. Therefore, if Japan
accedes to the Act, it will be necessary todevelop the legal system and review operations
with regard to the handling of these divergent
systems.
In light of these circumstances, we
conducted this study with the aim of preparing
basic materials to be used in finding the desirable
methods of use by Japanese and foreign
applicants and business models and considering
the desirable design system and designclassification operation in Japan in light of theJapan's accession to the Geneva Act of the Hague
Agreement, the way by which Japanese applicants
can effectively use the international application
system in the case where Japan accedes to the
Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement and theLocarno Agreement concerning the International
Classification for Industrial Design, therelationships with the domestic legal system, andeffects on the JPO's operations.
2

Method of conducting this study(1) Consideration at the expert committee
We held eight meetings of a expert
committee consisting of intellectuals (two main
meetings with the participation of ten committee
members and six small meetings with theparticipation of five committee members) with(*) This is an English translation of the summary of the FY2011 JPO-commissioned research study report on the issues
related to the industrial property rights system.
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IIP Bulletin 2012 Vol.21

1 ●the aim of finding the direction of Japan's
accession to the Hague Agreement throughconsideration, analysis, and obtainment of advice
on this study from the specialist perspective.
(2) Domestic and foreign literature search
We searched, organized, and analyzed
documents that are useful in conducting thisstudy with the use of books, papers, court
precedents, study reports, council reports,
database information, information on the Internet,etc.
(3) Domestic questionnaire survey
We conducted a questionnaire survey
concerning the need for accession to the Hague
Agreement, etc., targeting the top 1,050 domestic
companies, etc. which have filed the most design
applications in Japan, and received answers from354 companies, etc. (collection rate: 33.7%).
(4) Domestic interview survey
Based on the results of the domestic
questionnaire survey, we conducted an interview
survey concerning requests and improvements inthe case of acceding to the Hague Agreement,
targeting 30 companies, etc. in total, specifically,
28 companies and two bodies.
(5) Overseas questionnaire survey
We conducted a questionnaire survey
concerning the current conditions of contracting
parties to the Hague Agreement and countries
which are expected to accede thereto, targeting
intellectual
property
officesin
16
countries/regions, and received answers from 12
offices.

multiple countries, thereby achieving theexpense reduction effect. It is managed andoperated by WIPO. There are three revised
versions of the Hague Agreement (Acts),
specifically, (1) the London Act 1934, (2) the
Hague Act 1960, and (3) the Geneva Act 1999.
Two of those Acts, the Hague Act and the
Geneva Act, are now functioning, with theLondon Act having been frozen since January 1,
2010.
The Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement isa revised version of the Hague Act which aims at
promoting accession by countries adopting thesubstantive examination system. It provides forthe international design application andregistration
systemwherebyapplication
procedures that arise for each country areintegrated and applicants can obtain the effectequivalent to the effect that they can obtain in thecase of filing applications in individual designatedcountries by filing one application with theInternational Bureau of WIPO. The number ofcontracting parties has been increasing by three
to five countries annually, and it is now 42
countries/regions (as of February 2012). In
addition, South Korea plans to accede to theAgreement after July 2012. In the United States,
an amendment bill that is a prerequisite foraccession was submitted to the Senate sessionthat began in 2011. China also launched a study
team concerning the Hague Agreement and iscarrying forward preparation for accession withina few years. Accession to the Agreement may be
accelerated at a stretch on a global basis.
The following indicates the main flow of theapplication procedures based on the Geneva Actof the Hague Agreement.

(6) Overseas interview survey
We conducted an interview survey targeting
13 offices, etc., specifically, intellectual property
offices in Europe, the United States, and South
Korea, WIPO, and three companies in Europe, theUnited States, and South Korea, respectively(nine companies in total).

Ⅱ Outline of the System of theHague Agreement
The Hague Agreement is a treaty that
establishes an international system for theregistration and deposit of designs based on"Special Agreements" set forth in Article 19 of
the Paris Convention, and it aims at simplifying
procedures necessary to register a design in●

2 ●IIP Bulletin 2012 Vol.21

Outline of the application procedures based on the Hague Agreement Concerning theInternational Registration of Industrial Designs
1. In the case of filing applications directly in individual countries
Filing date
Patent office in country A

DesignApplicantAgent incountry A

Formality
examination

Application

Substantive
examination

Registration

Bulletin

Patent office in country B
Agent incountry B

Application

Agent incountry C

Application

Formality
examination

Substantive
examination

RefusalPatent office in country C
Formality
examinationNo
examination

Registration

Bulletin・An agent is required for each country.
・The application is prepared in the language and format of each country.
・The register is managed by each country. ・A bulletin is issued in the language of each country.

2. In the case of filing an application through the Hague route

International Bureau (WIPO)

Application

Formality International
examination registration

Intermediary
officeInternational filing date

(The same effect as that by filingdomestic applications)

Period before
international publication

Substantive
examination

Notification to
designated states

Priority under theParis Convention can
be claimed.

International
publication

DesignApplicantPatent office in country A
Bulletin

Patent office in country B
Substantive
examination

RefusalPatent office in country C
No bulletin is issued.*No
examination

Registration * Whether to issue a bulletin
depends on individual
countries.

Period for notification of refusal

6 months

6/12 months

・ One application (possible to choose multiple
・ Formality examination is conducted at
designated states)
WIPO in bulk.
・ The application is prepared in a unified
・ The International Register is managed
language and format.
at WIPO in a unified manner.
・ The class of the International Classification for ・ Applications are published after six
Industrial Designs is written in the application. months from their filing (publication
may be earlier or deferred)

Ⅲ Japan's Accession to the Geneva
Act of the Hague Agreement

・ Each country determines the effect of
the international registration based on
its domestic law.
・ Each country basically does not issue abulletin.
・ The period of protection is reckoned
from the international registration date.

it expansion of companies' filing strategies.
Consequently, against this backdrop, it
seems to be appropriate for Japan to accede to the
Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement as soon as
possible in consideration of the questionnaire andinterview surveys conducted in this study
targeting domestic and foreign companies as well
as discussions at the committee. It also seems tobe appropriate to introduce the procedures under
the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement, which
are mechanisms convenient for users, into thedomestic system on the occasion of the accession.
In addition, in acceding to the Geneva Act of
the Hague Agreement, it is considered necessary
to solve the problems indicated in Chapters IV
and V below.

As of 2007, a mere 11% of the companies
answered that they hoped for Japan's accession to
the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement.
However, the need for accession has grown
against the backdrop of the globalization ofcompanies and measures against counterfeit
goods. In this survey, 61% of domestic users (216companies) hoped for accession. In addition, amere 2.5% of the companies answered that they
did not feel there is any advantage in theinternational application system. Furthermore, it
was confirmed that use of the international
application system is of some help forstrengthening
Japan'sinternational
competitiveness. For example, it contributes tomeasures against counterfeit goods and to thepointing up of design/brand power and brings with●IIP Bulletin 2012 Vol.21

Registration

3 ●Ⅳ Major Problems Arising fromDifferences
betweenthe
International System and theDomestic Systemdevelopment to product announcement is long.
Therefore, the deferred publication system
whereby companies can adjust the timing of
publication within a certain scope is considered to
be a system beneficial to Japanese companies.
Consequently, Japan should admit the deferredpublication system when Japan accedes to the
Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement.
However, it seems to be necessary to take
into account effects on third parties, etc. whicharise from the deferment of publication of up to 30
months. In addition, as the majority of users do
not desire that designs are published before thevalidity of relevant rights is determined, a right todemand compensation may be admitted fordesigns which have been granted protection in
Japan for the period from publication toregistration. Furthermore it is considerednecessary to continuously hold discussions on therelationships with the related design system.

In this study, we extracted problems
concerning the application procedures and themaintenance, management, etc. of rights inacceding to the Geneva Act of the Hague
Agreement from the perspective of users andorganized measures to solve the problems.
1

One application for multiple designs
system and one application for one
design system

Under the Geneva Act of the Hague
Agreement, it is possible to include up to 100
designs in one application if those designs pertain
to articles that fall under the same class of theInternational Classification for Industrial Designs.
The introduction of the one application for
multiple designs system has a great advantage forusers, and it is clear through the domestic
questionnaire survey, etc. that there are high userneeds for the introduction of the system.
Therefore, the one application for multiple
designs system should be made available forinternational design applications designating
Japan. In addition, it also seems to be appropriate
to permit inclusion of multiple designs in one
application in the domestic system.
Moreover, in introducing the system, it isconsidered necessary to design the system taking
user needs into account to the maximum extent
with regard to various problems, such as thescope of designs that can be included in one
application and relationships between articles andfigures of designs, setting of fees, and operations
pertaining to examination, etc. after the
introduction of the system.
2

3

Description requirements of application,
drawings, etc.

With regard to the requirement ofsubmission of drawings for international design
applications, it is necessary to consider applying
the current requirements of submission ofdrawings in Japan whenever possible with a viewto the promotion of international harmonization of
the formats of drawings submitted, so as toprevent the formality requirements that areadmitted under the Geneva Act of the Hague
Agreement from being refused in Japan in termsof formality and becoming subject to a formality
order when Japan receives an international
application under the current requirements ofsubmission of drawings and description
requirements of an application in Japan.
In doing so, it is considered necessary toconfirm whether there are provisions that should
be revised, with the idea ofadopting an
examination practice in which, where a design
cannot be made clear by drawings for suchreasons as complexity of the design, the examiner
gives neither a formality order nor a notice of
reasons for refusal for the reason that theformality requirements of drawings are notfulfilled but gives a notice of reasons for refusal
for the reason that the design is not clear.
Incidentally, the JPO and the International
Bureau should make arrangements andadjustments
withregardtoformality

Deferred publication system and secretdesign system

The Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement
grants a deferred publication period of up to 30
months from the filing date or the priority date (ifpriority is claimed) in cases where an applicant
makes a request for deferment of publication at
the time of filing an international application.
For some of the products developed by
Japanese companies, the period from product●

4 ●IIP Bulletin 2012 Vol.21

requirements that are applicable to international
applications designating Japan so as to prevent
users from being confused about differences
between the formality requirements required inJapan and the formality requirements based on
the Hague Agreement and actions which theoffice and users should take in the case of aviolation of the formality requirements.
4

payments in Japanese yen based on examples
concerning the PCT and the Madrid Protocol.
5

As the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement
does not have any clear provision that falls underprovisions on exception to lack of novelty in Japan,
it is necessary to consider whether to admit theapplication of provisions on exception to lack ofnovelty to international applications designating
Japan. However, the provisions on exception tolack of novelty should be applied to suchinternational applications.
In addition, in admitting the application, it isdesirable to apply the same provisions as thosethat apply to domestic applications tointernational applications from the perspective of
the fairness of the system. Therefore, it isconsidered necessary to carry forward discussion
on the application together with discussion on the
future revision of the domestic system.
Incidentally, the perspectives of relaxationand harmonization of procedural requirements,
including assertion and proof, should be taken into
account in discussion on the future revision of thedomestic system in light of user needs.

Official Fees for filing an international
application

The Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement
provides that an applicant shall pay fees to theInternational Bureau. Fees are in the total amountof the basic fee, publication fee, and designation
fees designated by individual countries. Japan
should take the following actions when acceding
to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement.
- Set an individual designation fee in replacementof the designation fee, and collect the amountdecided based on fees required for filing adomestic application in consideration of actual
expenses for paperwork at the JPO. In addition,
it is necessary to consider reducing the amountof fees for second and subsequent designs incases where two or more designs are included in
one application.
- Possible methods of paying the individual
designation fee include the installment payment
system, the lump-sum payment system, and thesystem in which applicants choose a payment
method. In particular, there is a great need for
introduction of a two-tiered installment payment
system among Japanese users. However, it isnecessary to continue careful consideration of
the direction of payment methods throughsufficient careful examination of the advantages
and disadvantages of the systems in light of theamount of the individual designation fee set by
Japan and convenience for overseas users, etc.
Incidentally, in the case of adopting the system
in which applicants choose a payment method,
Japan should work on the International Bureau
to admit said system, as users are not permitted
to choose between lump-sum payment andinstallment payment at present under the
Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement and interms of the operations of the International
Bureau.
- It is necessary to consider whether the JPO
accepts payments and whether to admit

6

Related design system

It is appropriate to permit filing related
design applications in terms of international
applications. However, as a result of considering
whether to permit filing a related design
application in relationships between aninternational application and a domestic
application together with the method of filing(method of describing an application), the period
during which an applicant can file an application
for a related design, and the method of managing
related designs by the register in Japan after
registration, we reached a conclusion that therelationship between a principal design and a
related design should be recognized between adomestic application and an international
application on the premise of setting provisions,which apply the related design system tointernational applications and deem international
applications designating Japan as applications filedin Japan, in domestic law. In addition, it isconsidered necessary to continue discussions on
the following matters in the future.

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IIP Bulletin 2012 Vol.21

Exception to lack of novelty

5 ●- Period during which an applicant can file anapplication for a related design
Where the principal design is aninternational application, if the period until theprevious day of the issuance of the Japanesebulletin for the principal design is set as a period
during which the applicant can file an application
for a related design as under the current Japanesesystem, that will not correspond to the actual
conditions of international applications for which
there is a publication system. Therefore,
appropriate handling should be examined.
In addition, if Japan admits the deferredpublication system for international applications,
it is possible to postpone the issuance of a bulletin
for the principal design by using the system. As aresult, it will be substantively possible to extend
the period during which an applicant cansubsequently file an application for a related
design up to 30 months. Therefore, it is necessary
to consider measures to eliminate superiority insystem convenience in relation to domestic
applications.

7

Partial design system

As a result of discussing whether to admit
the application of the partial design system tointernational design applications designating
Japan, we reached a conclusion that discussion
should be held toward admitting the application of
the partial design system to international design
applications designating Japan.
In addition, it is necessary to consider the
degree of requiring an international application
which designates Japan and seeks protection as apartial design to fulfill the description
requirements of an application for a partial design
which an applicant is required to fulfill under thecurrent domestic legislation, while continuously
making adjustments between the JPO and theInternational Bureau.
8

Other problems

Other problems arising from differences
between the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement
and Japanese legislation include problems relating
to the handling of the feature statement system in
relation to international applications, the date on
which a design right in Japan pertaining to aninternational registration becomes effective andthe duration thereof, the period for renewal of adesign right based on a domestic application, thehandling of procedures of converting into a patentor utility model in terms of international
registrations, the handling of a new application
after an amendment to an international
registration is dismissed, the period during which
an international application can be amended andthe content of possible amendment, the handlingof trials, matters concerning an international
registration that are recorded in the register, andestablishment of a right of pledge on aninternational registration. It is necessary tocontinue discussion on these items in the future.
Moreover, under the Hague Agreement, inchanging the ownership, a person who takes overrights also has to have the same qualification asthat for an applicant under the Hague Agreement.
If a company to which the ownership istransferred does not have a domicile, residence,nationality, or a business office in the territory of acontracting party, the ownership cannot betransferred. However, it is necessary to continue
study on problems and disadvantages in relation
to this issue as we could not conduct sufficient- Method of describing an application
It is necessary to consider the method of
describing an international application which isthe principal or related design in an applicationand the method of managing such applications by
the register in the future while making
adjustments with the International Bureau. In
addition, there is a method whereby an applicant
can designate the principal design and related
designs through amendment at the national
examination phase after filing, like the one
adopted in South Korea. It is necessary toconsider the optimum method to enable Japaneseapplicants and the JPO, respectively, to smoothly
conduct operations.
- Management of the register
Under the Japanese related design system,
the applicant and right holder of the principal
design and its related designs must be identical.
Therefore, the items managed in the register,such as the names, addresses, etc. of the applicant
and right holder as well as the establishment of an
exclusive license, are related to the conditions forregistering a design as a related design. Therefore,
it is necessary to consider the items managed in
the register concerning related designs.

●

6 ●IIP Bulletin 2012 Vol.21

study in this study.

should permit applicants to designate a country inwhich they have nationality, a residence, domicile,or a business office as a designated state in orderto realize convenience for users in Japan in filing
applications and their diversification.

Ⅴ Enhancementof
User
Convenience on the Occasionof Japan's Accession to theHague Agreement

3

In this study, we extracted problems
concerning enhancement of user convenience in
acceding to the Geneva Act of the Hague
Agreement from the perspective of users andorganized measures to solve the problems.
1

It is necessary to file international
applications in the prescribed languages (English,
French, or Spanish). However, Japan shouldchoose English as the language to be used forcommunication between the JPO and theInternational Bureau because it is the languagethat is least obstructive to Japan among thesethree languages.
Moreover,wesuggestthat
Japan
continuously works on the International Bureau
to make it possible to file international
applications in Japanese and also develop an
environment for preparing English documents,
including a support tool whereby an application
prepared in Japanese can be converted into theformat of an application submitted to WIPO.

JPO as an intermediary office andintermediary operations

Under the Geneva Act of the Hague
Agreement, WIPO directly receives international
design applications, and there is also a method inwhich a contracting party receives applications as
an intermediary office and transmits them to
WIPO. It is necessary to hold discussion toward
Japan serving as an intermediary office andreceiving
applicationsforinternational
applications. With regard to fees, it is necessary
to continue discussion on whether to accept
payments at the JPO, whether to make it possible
to make payments in Japanese yen, etc. inreference to discussions held concerning the PCT
and the Madrid Protocol.
In addition, we have received, from WIPO, ananswer to the effect that if Japan becomes anintermediary office, it can conduct formality checkin advance as one of the services. However, it isnecessary to continuously make adjustments with
WIPO with regard to the specific type of formality
check in light of user needs and operations at the
JPO. Moreover, it is necessary to hold discussion
on the degree of feasibility of services and advice
which have been requested by users other thanformality check.
2

4

Issuanceofinternational
designbulletins/management of the register ofinternational registrations in JapanThe International Bureau of WIPO issues
international design bulletins and manages theInternational Register. However, if it is possible toconduct prior design search and right search forinternational applications for which rights havebeen granted in Japan in the same manner as
designs registered in Japan, it will lead toenhancement of convenience for users in Japan.
Design bulletins and design bulletin
information should be issued for international
registrations that have been registered in Japan inorder to enhance user convenience in design rightsearch, etc. In addition, in order to further
enhance convenience, it is desirable to issue
bulletins or bulletin information which have beentranslated into Japanese. However, the main
purpose of the request for Japanese translations isto enable efficient right search; therefore, if it ispossible to search international design bulletinsusing Japanese, that may serve as an alternative
for the issuance of bulletins translated into
Japanese.
With regard to the register, Japan shouldhave the register if it is determined to be

Permission of designating a country inwhich an applicant has nationality, aresidence, a domicile, or a businessoffice as a designated state

The Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement
has a provision stipulating that each country may
declare that an applicant is not allowed todesignate a country in which he/she has
nationality, a residence, domicile, or a businessoffice as a designated state. However, Japan●

IIP Bulletin 2012 Vol.21

Choice of available languages

7 ●Ⅶ Business Models Using theInternational Application System

necessary to do so as a result of continued
study/consideration in the future on such matters
as whether the register needs to exist in Japan
when using a trial system or court system inJapan.
5

We established a hypothesis of a businessmodel to point up brand power/design power
through use of the international application
system and a hypothesis of a business model totake effective measures against counterfeit goods,
and verified the validity of those hypotheses. As aresult, it is possible to say that international
publication bulletins have high transmission
power because of the following reasons: (1) under
the international application system, applications
are filed in designated states through filing of aninternational application and the bulletins ofregistered designs are issued by WIPO in an
integrated manner; (2) the International
Classification based on the Locarno Agreement isgiven; right search, etc. is available in any of thethree languages adopted under the Hague
Agreement. It is possible to take effective
measures against counterfeit goods by filing aninternational application in which a completedbody, its parts, and its variations are included withthe use of the one application for multiple designs
system, taking advantage of the aforementioned
characteristics.
Moreover, if an applicant designates Japan in
an international application and goes throughdesign examination in Japan which is most trusted
in the world, the validity of the right in othercountries will be enhanced and the right will havehigherpower
toeliminate
subsequent
applications. It is thus possible to avoid
unnecessary disputes, which will lead to further
protecting Japanese products from imitation ofdesigns and cutting out the distribution channel ofcounterfeit goods.
Furthermore, the international application
system can probably be used to point up the brandpower/design power of Japanese companies, inparticular, small and medium-sized companies.
For example, where an international registrationof a Japanese company is transmitted by aninternational design bulletin throughout the world,
if it is an excellent product design, the Japanesecompany will be requested to grant a license
therefor by overseas companies which saw theinternational design bulletin.
Incidentally, under the current international
design application system, the International
Bureau manages the International Register but
each country is not obliged to manage the register.
In addition, issuance of registration certificates

Needs for accession by countries thathave not acceded to the Geneva Act of
the Hague Agreement other than Japan

Japan should work mainly on countries thathave not acceded to the Geneva Act of the Hague
Agreement in Asia, etc. into which many
companies in the Japanese industry have made anadvance to accede to the Geneva Act of the Hague
Agreement.
6

Other support

Activities to inform users of the international
application system and to disseminate the system
to users should be carried out in a multifacetedand effective manner so that users in Japan caneffectively use the international design application
system.
One of the methods therefor is to examine
the dissemination of the system in reference tomethods adopted at the time of acceding to theMadrid Protocol, such as support for utilization ofpatent attorneys, etc., holding of explanatory
meetings for the system, guidance on the systemon websites, and preparation of a collection ofcase examples of procedures/guidance. In addition,
provision of application support tools, such as anapplication template with explanations in Japanese,is worth considering in light of user convenience.

Ⅵ Problems in the Operations of
the JPO Arising from Accession
to the Hague Agreement
As problems in the operations of the JPO
arising from accession to the Hague Agreement,
we confirmed that problems would arise in many
aspects such as receipt of applications, formality
examination,
substantive
examination,
registration of establishment, fees, managementof the register of international registrations,issuance of bulletins, communication with WIPO,
and system development.

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8 ●IIP Bulletin 2012 Vol.21

and registration bulletins has not been madeobligatory. Therefore, on the occasion of Japan's
accession to the Hague Agreement, it isnecessary to point up the necessity of eachcontracting party managing the register andissuing registration certificates and registration
bulletins from the aspect of enforcement.

application system, these effects are considered
to be brought about through effective use of theinternational application system. In addition, it isconsidered possible to support the overseas
operations of Japanese companies and strengthen
the international competitiveness of Japanesecompanies in a spiral manner through accession
to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement.
Consequently, in considering a desirable
design system on the occasion of Japan's
accession to the Geneva Act of the Hague
Agreement, it is necessary to adopt a systemdesign that can make best use of the international
competitiveness of Japanese companies in light of
the relationships between the effective use of theinternational application system and businessmodels.

Ⅷ Conclusion
With regard to the point of whether businessmodels which bring about the effect of copingwith counterfeit goods, the effect of pointing up
the product designs of Japanese companies, andthe effect of pointing up the design
power/corporate brand of Japanese companies are
established through use of the international

Expansion of business models
Appeal of productdesigns

Easiness of filing international
applications as a result of serving
as an intermediary office andimprovement of cost advantage

Appeal of the design
Effect as measurespower/brand of Japanese
against counterfeit
companies throughtransmission of international
goodsbulletins to the world
Approach to countries
which have notacceded to the Act

User support

Expansion of alternatives forthe timing of conducting
business

Obtaining rights in areas where products
are sold/manufactured
Measures against imitation of designs

Relaxation anddiversification of description
requirements of application,
Appeal of product designs
drawings, etc.
Introduction of the
Improvement of power todeferred publication
appeal the content of rights
systemIntroduction of the one
application for multiple
designs system

Effect as a catalogue ofinternational publication

Accession to the Geneva Act of the Hague
Agreement(Researcher: Kazuaki MAEDA)●

IIP Bulletin 2012 Vol.21

9 ●