Trademark Registration – Classification Guide Class 9 in Japan

I’ve decided to start distributing “game apps” on my smart phone.
First, I’ve prepared an impactful product name and logo for the “app” I’m distributing, and I’d like to register the trademark to prevent others from copying it.

Well, you remember to designate Class 9 that includes “computer programs”.
Class 9 also includes various goods that are related to scientific or research apparatus and instruments and audiovisual and IT equipment. Let’s check it out.

Considering the future product development of “apps,” it would be better to designate other products in Class 9 as well.
If they are in the same class, the cost is the same, but I wonder if we can also designate computer programs for games in Class 9…?

Class 9 is a classification of scientific or research apparatus and audiovisual and IT equipment.

Class 9 mainly includes scientific or research apparatus and instruments and audiovisual and IT equipment.

Generally, you may easily understand that this class includes the type of goods that are familiar to us in our daily lives such as mobile phones, tables, televisions, earphones, spectacles, cameras and game programs for home video game machines as well as computer programs.

Goods included in Class 9 and Not included in Class 9

List of main goods in Class 9

The following is a list of the main goods included in Class 9.

You may file a Japanese trademark application designating these goods by Amazing DX.

• ear plugs for divers
• egg-candlers
• blueprint apparatus; cash registers; coin counting or sorting machines; photo-copying machines; mathematical instruments; time and date stamping machines; time clocks [time recording devices]; punched card office machines; voting machines; postage stamp checking apparatus
• mechanisms for coin-operated car parking gates
• life-saving apparatus and equipment
• fire extinguishers; fireplugs; fire hoses; fire hose nozzles; sprinkler systems for fire protection
• fire alarms; gas alarms; anti-theft warning apparatus
• safety helmets
• railway signal apparatus, luminous or mechanical
• vehicle breakdown warning triangles; road signs, luminous or mechanical
• divers' apparatus, not for sports
• game programs for arcade video game machines
• simulators for the steering and control of vehicles
• sports training simulators
• laboratory apparatus and instruments
• photographic machines and apparatus; cinematographic machines and apparatus; optical machines and apparatus
• measuring or testing machines and instruments
• power distribution or control machines and apparatus; rotary converters; phase modifiers
• solar batteries
• solar batteries
• batteries and cells
• electric or magnetic meters and testers
• electric wires and cables
• telecommunication machines and apparatus
• personal digital assistants
• personal digital assistants
• electronic machines [not including geiger counters, high frequency apparatus for welding, cyclotrons [not for medical purposes], industrial X-ray machines and apparatus [not for medical use],industrial betatrons [not for medical use],magnetic prospecting machines, magnetic object detectors, seismic exploration machines and apparatus, hydrophone machines and apparatus, echo sounders, ultrasonic flaw detectors, ultrasonic sensors, electronic door closing control systems and electron microscopes]; electron tubes; semi-conductor elements; electronic circuits, not including those recorded with computer programs; computer programs; electron tubes; semi-conductor elements; electronic circuits, not including those recorded with computer programs; computer programs
• geiger counters; high frequency apparatus for welding; cyclotrons, not for medical purposes; industrial X-ray machines and apparatus, not for medical use; industrial betatrons, not for medical use; magnetic prospecting machines; magnetic object detectors; seismic exploration machines and apparatus; hydrophone machines and apparatus; echo sounders; ultrasonic flaw detectors; ultrasonic sensors; electronic door closing control systems; electron microscopes
• magnetic cores; resistance wires; electrodes, other than welding electrodes or medical electrodes
• fire boats
• satellites for scientific purposes
• fire engines
• dust masks; gas masks; welding masks
• fireproof garments; protective hoods for the prevention of accident or injury
• gloves for protection against accidents
• spectacles [eyeglasses and goggles]
• game programs for home video game machines; electronic circuits and CD-ROMs recorded with programs for hand-held games with liquid crystal displays
• slot machine programs; pachinko programs
• protective helmets for sports; sports whistles
• weight belts for scuba diving; air tanks for scuba diving; snorkels; regulators for scuba diving; clothes for water sports
• metronomes; electronic circuits and CD-ROMs recorded with automatic performance programs for electronic musical instruments; electric and electronic effects units for musical instruments
• phonograph records; downloadable music files
• downloadable image files; recorded video discs and video tapes
• downloadable image files; recorded video discs and video tapes
• electronic publications
• electronic publications
• exposed cinematographic films; exposed slide films; slide film mounts

The above list of main goods included in Class 9 is just an example.

Let’s take a closer look at what other goods are included in Class 9 and what goods are not.

What should you do if you want to specify such items? (Goods included in Class 9)

Goods related to smartphones and applications for smartphones

When you want to specify such a product in Amazing DX, please specify the item that includes the product.

For example,

Goods related to video and sound including television

When you want to specify such a product in Amazing DX, please specify “telecommunication machines and apparatus”.

For example,

Other goods

Services Not included in Class 9

Various services to log in on the web

• providing computer programs on data networks
• software as a service [SaaS]
• platform as a service [PaaS]

all included in [Class 42]

I see. “Providing computer programs on data networks”, “SaaS” and “PaaS” are included in another class even if they relate to computer programs.

Non-downloadable apps and online services are “services”, not “goods”. Therefore, you must designate them in class 42, a category of services.
If you are in the IT industry, we recommend that you designate both class 9 and class 42.

Other goods Not included in Class 9

• home video game machines [Class 28]
• printed matter (ex: video game strategy books) [Class 16]

“Home video game machines” and “video game strategy books” are not included in Class 9 even if they relate to games.

File a trademark application in Japan, designating goods in Class 9!

Class 9 is a classification of the goods including scientific or research apparatus and audiovisual and IT equipment. If you are a software or communication apparatus manufacturer, please consider filing a trademark application specifying Class 9 first.

Amazing DX allows you to easily select your designated goods and services online.

First, please select as many goods as possible. After the search, it is easy to exclude the goods marked with × and search again.

If you are not sure which goods or services to select, please feel free to contact us via chat. Our attorneys specializing in trademarks will be happy to answer your questions.