Geographical Indication

What is the Geographical Indication Protection System?

In Japan, there are many agricultural products which have obtained high quality and reputation as a result of unique production methods and natural characteristics such as regional climate and soil conditions. Of these products, "The Geographical Indication (GI) Protection System" protects the name of products as intellectual property whose quality, reputation and other established characteristics are essentially attributable to its geographical origin.
The GI protection system has been implemented based on the Act on Protection of the Names of Specific Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Products and Foodstuffs Act (the GI Act) which was passed on June 18, 2014 and entered into force on June 1, 2015. For more information of Japan's GI Protection System, please visit the official website of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

What is a Geographical Indication ?

A Geographical Indication (GI) is a name of agricultural product, and from which a specific geographical origin and established characteristics such as the quality that are linked to that origin are identified. The registered GI product affixes the GI Mark along with the indication of GI.

What is the GI Act ?

The Act on Protection of the Names of Specific Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Products and Foodstuffs (Geographical Indication (GI) Act) is established in order to protect an indication that identifies an agricultural product which originates in the territory of a particular region or locality, and the quality or other characteristic of the product are linked to its geographical origin. The indication is protected as an intellectual property, and thereby contribute to the benefit of producers and the trust of consumers.

Contact Point

Intellectual Property Division, Export and International Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

1-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8950, Japan
Tel: +81-3-6738-6319
Fax: +81-3-3502-5301