Trademark Registration – Classification Guide Class 16 in Japan

We have decided to start selling stationery. At first, we have prepared an impactful product name and logo to market our standard writing instruments, and we want to register it as a trademark so that others will not copy our name and logo.

Then you need to remember to designate class 16, which includes “stationery”!
Class 16 includes many goods related to stationery, you know. Let’s check it out.

In the future, we would like to develop products such as glue, scissors, and paints, which are often used by children at school. Can those also be designated in class 16…?

Class 16 is the classification of paper and office supplies.

Class 16 includes mainly paper, printed matter, calligraphic works, stationery, and office supplies.
It may be easier to understand if you associate this category with products sold in bookstores and stationery stores.

Goods included in Class 16 and Goods NOT included in Class 16.

List of main goods in Class 16.

The main goods included in Class 16 are listed below.
These goods can be designated by Amazing DX.

• pastes and other adhesives for stationery or household purposes
• sealing wax
• printers’ reglets [interline leads]
• printing type
• addressing machines
• ink ribbons
• automatic stamp affixing machines
• electric staplers for offices
• envelope sealing machines for offices
• stamp obliterating machines
• drawing instruments
• typewriters
• checkwriters
• mimeographs
• relief duplicators
• paper shredders for office use
• franking machines
• rotary duplicators
• marking templates
• decorators’ paintbrushes
• containers of paper, for packaging
• bags [pouches] of plastics, for packaging
• food wrapping plastic film for household purposes
• garbage bags of paper for household purposes
• garbage bags of plastics for household purposes
• paper patterns
• tailors’ chalk
• banners of paper
• flags of paper
• hygienic hand towels of paper
• towels of paper
• table napkins of paper
• hand towels of paper
• handkerchiefs of paper
• shipping tags
• printed paper for lot, other than toy
• assorted pieces of colored paper [paper toy]
• transfer-pictures [paper toy]
• origami folding paper
• cutout pictures of paper
• Chiyogami [assorted pieces of Japanese paper with colorful patterns printed thereon]
• coloring pictures
• paper and cardboard
• stationery
• printed matter
• paintings and calligraphic works
• photographs [printed]
• photograph stands

The above list of “the main goods included in Class 16” is just an example.
Let’s take a closer look at what other goods are included in Class 19 and what goods are not.

What should you do if you want to specify such items? (Goods included in Class 16)

Goods related to paper and paper products.

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

For example, ……

Goods related to stationery.

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

For example, ……

Goods related to printed matter and books.

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

For example, ……

Other Goods.

Other goods included in Class 16.

→If you would like to specify the following goods or other items in Amazing DX, please contact our trademark attorneys via chat.

• drawing materials
• paintbrushes
• bookbinding material
• bookends
• figurines of papier mache
• signboards of paper or cardboard
• paper bags for use in the sterilisation of medical instruments
• dental tray covers of paper

Goods NOT included in Class 16.

Goods made of paper or cardboard.

• photographic paper【class01】
• abrasive paper [sandpaper]【class03】
• paper plates【class21】
• bed covers of paper【class24】
• paper clothing【class25】

Stationery with cutting materials.

• scissors【class08】
• punches【class08】
• cutters【class08】

Adhesives other than for office or household use.

• glue and adhesives for industrial purposes【class01】
• adhesives for affixing false hair【class03】
• adhesives for affixing false eyelashes【class03】
• laundry starch【class03】
• surgical glues【class05】

So I see, even goods related to paper and stationery could be classified differently, depending on their function and use.

I agree, you need to designate the classification of the goods, paying attention to the situations in which they will be used.

Other goods NOT included in Class 16.

• printing ink【class02】
• colors for painting pictures【class02】
• spatulas for use by artists【class08】
• packaging containers of plastic【class20】

It’ not only “scissors,” but “paints” don’t even fall under class 16!

File a trademark application, designating goods in Class 16!

Class 16 is for paper, printed matter, stationery, and office supplies. Please consider class 16 first if you are a stationery manufacturer.

Amazing DX allows you to easily select your designated goods and services online.
First, please select as many goods and services 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.

Reference: Japan Patent Office, “Examination Guidelines for Similar Goods and Services (corresponding to the Nice Classification, 11th Edition, Version 2022)”.