In order to obtain a design right, an applicant must fill out the forms prescribed in the relevant ordinances and submit them to the Japan Patent Office.

An application document submitted to the JPO will be checked to see whether it fulfills the necessary procedural and formal requirements. An invitation to correct will be made where necessary documents are missing or required sections have not been filled in.

A set of prescribed requirements must be fulfilled in order to obtain a design registration. An examiner will check whether an application meets these requirements.