One party shall submit one original copy of a written application for mediation as a complainant, with the number of duplicates equal to the total number of respondents and mediators, and shall present such application and duplicates to the Center (You can submit a request for mediation by uploading an electronic file to an online storage designated by the Center. If you wish to submit a request for mediation by electronic file, please send an email to the email address designated by the Center (※The email is displayed as an image to prevent spam. Please enter the address and send it) 2 to 3 days before the planned date of filing, stating the name, address (or residence; the same shall apply hereinafter) and contact information (telephone number, fax number and email address) of the complainant and his/her agent and the respondent, the headquarters, branches or subbranches where the case will be filed (Tokyo Headquarters, Kansai Branch, Nagoya Branch, Hokkaido Subbranch, Tohoku Subbranch, Chugoku Subbranch, Shikoku Subbranch, or Kyushu Subbranch) and the planned date of filing. The Center's secretariat will provide you with information on how to access the online storage.).

The written application for mediation shall include the following items.

0. the name, address (or residence), and contact information (telephone number, fax number, and email address) of the parties, and names of the parties' representatives if the parties are juridical persons;
i. the name and address of agents, if any;
ii. summary of the dispute;
iii. the gist of the resolution for which the application is made; and
iv. where the complainant has a preference for three mediators, such preference must be stated.

The following attachments are necessary for the application for mediation.

(1) the certificate of qualification for the complainant's or respondent’s representative, if either or both of them are juridical persons;
(2) the power of attorney if the complainant is made by an agent;
(3) documentary evidence such as a patent gazette or a trademark gazette, etc., which indicate the scope of the rights which have become the basis for the dispute;
(4) documentary evidence other than those as provided in (3) above.

The documents as set forth in (1) above are available at the Legal Affairs Bureau which exercises jurisdiction over the relevant company according to its address. Please prepare those issued within three months.

Please submit the documents as set forth in (1), (2), and (3) at the same time as application submission, and the documents as set forth in (4), either at the same time as application submission or promptly after the respondent's representation of its intention to attend the mediation proceedings, respectively.

As for formats and samples, please see the following "Formats for Mediation Proceedings." If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the secretariat.