Understanding Amazon intellectual property warnings: rights involved and supporting evidence

This article is for sellers who have seen an "Intellectual Property Complaints" (知的財産に関する苦情) entry appear in Seller Central, had a listing suddenly removed, or received a warning that includes a rights owner's contact details. It explains how to read a notification to work out which right is at issue, who raised it, and how far the complaint reaches, and then covers the documents to prepare for each situation, how to file a dispute or request a retraction, and how to prevent a recurrence before you list.

What is happening when you receive an intellectual property warning

Amazon prohibits listings that infringe the intellectual property rights of brands and other rights owners. Amazon's Help explains that action may be taken even if a seller infringed without realizing it, which can result in a warning or account suspension, and that the accounts of repeat infringers may be closed. The Help page on Amazon's anti-counterfeiting policy states that selling products that are not genuine may lead to suspension or closure, including of related accounts, as well as destruction of FBA inventory at the seller's expense and the withholding of disbursements.

The Intellectual Property Policy, the Anti-Counterfeiting Policy, and the brand name policy all count toward the Account Health Rating (AHR). In Amazon's severity examples, a valid notice of infringement from a rights owner is rated "High," and a product found to be counterfeit or pirated through a test buy is rated "Critical." How the score works is covered in how to check your Account Health score.

This article reflects information as of September 2026, and policies and screen names may change. For a legal judgment on whether something constitutes infringement, please consult an attorney or a patent attorney.

Reading the notification from four angles

First, in Seller Central, go to Performance (パフォーマンス) > Account Health (アカウント健全性), open the list of violations, and read the body of the Performance Notification (パフォーマンス通知). Check the affected listings in Product Policy Compliance (商品規約の遵守) and among the inactive listings in Manage Inventory (在庫管理). Then organize what you find from the following four angles.

Angle	What to check	How it affects your response
1. Which right	Trademark, copyright, design, patent, utility model, or a counterfeit allegation	What documents to gather and whether you need to consult a specialist
2. Who reported it	A rights owner's report, a brand's removal tool, or a "suspected" violation detected by Amazon	Whether there is someone to ask for a retraction, or whether a correction is enough
3. What is targeted	Only your offer, the entire ASIN, or images or text	Whether a correction can resolve it, or whether you should stop selling the item
4. Stage of enforcement	Suppressed from search, listing removed, warning, suspension, or a repeat-violation label	How to prioritize your response and where to appeal

"Trademark misuse" (商標の悪用) may also appear on the Account Health page. In that case too, check the affected ASIN and what was flagged, and then work through it in order, starting with Angle 1.

Angle 1. Which right: confirm the type of right and its registration number

Patents, utility models, designs, and trademarks are collectively called "industrial property rights," and they come into effect when an application is filed with and registered by the Japan Patent Office. Copyright in photos, descriptions, and the like, on the other hand, arises the moment the work is created, and no registration is required.

Right	Term (general rule under Japanese law)	Common problem areas on Amazon
Trademark right	10 years from the date of registration (renewable)	How brand names and logos are used; counterfeit goods
Copyright	In principle, 70 years after the author's death	Unauthorized use of someone else's photos or descriptions
Design right	25 years from the filing date of the design application	An appearance identical or similar to a registered design
Patent right	20 years from the filing date of the patent application (extensions available)	A product's structure or mechanism
Utility model right	10 years from the filing date	A product's shape or structure, or its combination of parts

*The "25 years from the filing date" rule for design rights applies to applications filed on or after April 1, 2020. Designs filed before that date remain under the older rule of 20 years from the registration date, so pay attention to the filing date when checking an older design right on J-PlatPat.

A rights owner's report is supposed to include information identifying the right, such as the trademark number, patent number, or details of the copyrighted work, and each report covers only one type of right. Once you have the number, search Japanese industrial property rights for free on the J-PlatPat (Japan Platform for Patent Information) database run by INPIT, and confirm that the type of right and the owner's name match the notification and that the right is still in force. Even if the right appears to have lapsed, have a patent attorney or other specialist confirm that conclusion. Sellers have also reported cases where the number cited for "patent infringement" turned out to be a design registration number. If you can't tell the type of right from the notification, Amazon staff on the Seller Forums advise contacting Account Health Support via [Contact Us] (［お問い合わせ］) on the Account Health dashboard.

Trademark and design rights also cover "similar" items

Under the Trademark Act, using a mark similar to a registered trademark on the designated goods or services, or on goods or services similar to them, is among the acts deemed to be infringement. Under the Design Act, too, the design right holder has the exclusive right to work the registered design and "designs similar to it." Slightly altering a logo or design may not be enough to resolve the problem. Amazon's Help also explains that counterfeiting is one form of trademark infringement, and that while "look-alike products" that do not use a registered trademark are not counterfeits, they may still violate design rights or the Unfair Competition Prevention Act.

Uses that normally aren't infringement

Amazon's Help explains that you normally own the copyright in product photos you took yourself, and that legitimately purchased books, CDs, and similar items can normally be resold without permission because of the "exhaustion" of copyright (there may be exceptions, such as importing and selling music CDs released for overseas markets, so check with a specialist if you are unsure). Listing genuine products and using a trademarked word in its ordinary dictionary sense are also generally considered acceptable.

Angle 2. Who reported it

Rights owners report through Amazon Brand Registry or through the "Report Infringement" form (知的財産権の侵害の報告フォーム). You will also receive a complaint notification when a brand enrolled in the Project Zero protection program removes a counterfeit listing directly. If a notice is judged valid, Amazon removes the content, takes action against the parties involved, and shares the rights owner's contact information (it is included in the warning the seller receives).

Separately, Amazon's monitoring (machine learning combined with expert review) may suppress a listing from search on "suspected" trademark infringement. The steps to take in that case are summarized in what to check when a listing is removed for suspected trademark infringement.

Angle 3. What is targeted

Right	Scope of reports (as described in Help)
Trademark right	ASIN level / seller level / product detail page
Copyright	ASIN level / seller level / images or text
Design right and patent right	The entire ASIN (if approved, that ASIN is removed)
Utility model right	The entire ASIN (the rights owner must submit a technical evaluation report when reporting)

If the ASIN and product detail page remain but only your offer has disappeared, the cause is likely a seller-level trademark or copyright report, or a report targeting images or text, so consider whether replacing the images or text, or stopping the offer, will resolve it. If the whole ASIN has disappeared, the cause is likely a design, patent, or utility model report, or an ASIN-level trademark or copyright report, so start by determining whether you can keep selling that product at all.

Angle 4. Stage of enforcement and repeat violations

If violations of the same policy reach the limit within 180 days, your account may be suspended immediately. The limit varies by severity; for high-severity violations it may be as few as two, and infringement policies are cited as an example with a low threshold. Repeat violations are labeled in the impact column of Product Policy Compliance, so from the very first violation, keep a record of the notification date, ASIN, type of right, and what you did in response. The main places to respond at each stage are as follows.

• Suppressed from search on suspected trademark infringement: correct any trademarks or logos that don't represent the product you are listing, or your compatibility wording, and save. If the listing is still inactive after 24 hours, contact Technical Support (Selling Partner Support) through Product Policy Compliance
• Listing removal or warning based on a rights owner's complaint: file a dispute from "Next steps" (次のステップ) under Intellectual Property Complaints (as Amazon staff advise), or reply to the notification
• Account suspension: appeal through Reactivate Your Selling Account (出品用アカウントの再開) (STEP 4)
• A "Critical" violation where a test buy found the product to be counterfeit: even a single one can lead to suspension, and the response window is three days, so make it your top priority

Responses and documents by situation

The following is organized based on Amazon's official Help. In the end, follow the instructions in your notification first.

Situation	Main response	Documents to prepare
A warning for a product you have never listed	Reply to the notification and state that you have never listed it	Not specified in Help (follow the notification's instructions, and check your own listing history)
A trademark infringement or counterfeit allegation even though the product is genuine	Reply to the notification with specific reasons why you believe it is mistaken	Invoices or order numbers showing authenticity
A copyright allegation	Reply to the notification with specific reasons	Help specifies invoices or order numbers. If images or text are targeted, also gather records showing that you took or created them yourself
Multiple warnings, and you are confident the products are genuine	File a dispute from Seller Central	A list of the affected ASINs, plus at least one of the following: invoices, order numbers, or a letter of authorization from the rights owner (forwarded emails are not accepted)
A patent allegation	Reply to the notification with specific reasons	Documents supporting your reasons (also consider having a specialist review them)
You have a license, distributorship, or similar agreement with the rights owner	Ask the rights owner to retract the complaint	The rights owner must send the retraction to Amazon

Detailed checkpoints for each type of right are covered in sorting out a trademark infringement or counterfeit allegation, responding to a copyright infringement complaint, and how to check a design infringement warning.

Invoices and letters of authorization prove different things

An invoice shows that the item is a genuine product you sourced through a legitimate channel. A letter of authorization (LOA) shows that the rights owner has licensed you to use their trademark or other IP, and it may be requested when Amazon determines that you are using a trademark without the rights owner's approval. Invoices are listed as an example of a document that is not accepted as a letter of authorization, and they do not prove permission to use a trademark. On the other hand, as shown in the table above, a letter of authorization from the rights owner is also accepted as supporting evidence when disputing multiple warnings. Check your notification first to see which document is being requested.

Unfinalized documents such as quotes, invoices issued by the seller themselves, and invoices in editable formats such as Excel or Word are not reviewed, and Amazon may contact the supplier to verify an invoice.

The document must include the rights-owning company's letterhead and the signature of an authorized signatory or the company seal, among other things.

When compatibility wording or a common word is treated as a trademark: the "Suspected intellectual property violations" label

One of the items shown on the Account Health page is "Suspected intellectual property violations" (知的財産権侵害の疑い), which is listed separately from "Intellectual Property Complaints." The official Help for listings suppressed from search on this suspicion covers trademark rights, and for suspected infringement of intellectual property rights other than trademarks, it directs sellers to contact Technical Support directly. If you think the cause is compatibility wording or a common word, check how to word your listing and how to respond, as described below.

There is an official format for the titles of compatible products. For branded products it is "[brand name] + [product name] + [trademarked term/brand] + 用 ('for'; or と互換性あり 'compatible with,' に適合 'fits,' or 向け 'designed for')," and for unbranded products the title begins with ノーブランド品 ("unbranded item"). Amazon staff have answered on the Seller Forums that you should also note "compatible product" or "replacement product" in the product specifications and description. An Amazon announcement from around 2025 explained that for violations caused by incorrect compatibility wording, editing the listing from Manage All Inventory (全在庫の管理) would reinstate it within 8 hours and remove the violation (this explanation was limited to compatibility errors, so confirm the current handling in your notification).

Sellers have also reported cases where a common word was detected as trademarked text and, after the removal was lifted, the listing was removed again for the same reason. Amazon staff responded that the seller should file another dispute and state that this is the second occurrence.

Break "but it's genuine" down into four categories

Category	What it involves	Main checks and documents
Suspected counterfeit	Whether the product is genuine is in question	Invoices that meet the requirements; order numbers
Trademark usage	How brand names and logos are used, an incorrectly registered brand name, or compatibility wording	Correct the listing. Check whether a branded product has been registered as ノーブランド品 (unbranded)
Listing approval	Brands and categories that require prior approval	A separate system from IP complaints. Apply via Request Approval (出品許可を申請)
Distribution and contracts	Exclusive distribution agreements, minimum advertised price (MAP) agreements, parallel imports	Amazon lists contract violations and "notices relating to parallel imports" among the types of reports it does not approve, but such cases may still be reported as trademark infringement or counterfeiting, so they are not necessarily invalid. Check legality with a specialist

For checking listing approval, see how to check brand information and prior approval.

How to proceed with disputes, retraction requests, and reinstatement appeals

STEP 1. Confirm the facts and the type of complaint

Confirm when, from where, and in what quantity you sourced the product, and who created the listing content and images. At the same time, check whether the complaint falls into a type that Amazon does not approve (the "Distribution and contracts" category in the table above, reports seeking removal of clear compatibility statements, reports based on trademarks or patents not registered in that country, and so on). Note, however, that Japan Customs states that goods can be infringing even when they are no different from genuine products, so consult a specialist for legal judgments.

STEP 2. If it's a mistake, "dispute"; if it's accurate, "correct"

If the determination is mistaken, file a dispute based on facts and supporting documents, not emotion. If the infringement is real, move forward with corrective action first, such as stopping the listing or replacing the images or text.

Even if a corrective-action appeal is accepted and the violation is removed, it may still count toward the number of repeat violations within 180 days if you did not dispute each individual violation. For any violation you believe is mistaken, file a dispute for each one with supporting documents. However, do not file disputes to avoid the count when the infringement is real; instead, focus on explaining your corrective action and how you will prevent a recurrence.

A violation is removed from the Account Health page when, for example, a dispute confirms it was a mistake, the rights owner retracts the complaint, you take the necessary corrective action such as removing the infringing content, or 180 days pass after it was added. However, if your account was suspended under the AHR, the violation is said to remain even after 180 days have passed.

STEP 3. Ask the rights owner for a retraction

The retraction must be sent to Amazon directly by the rights owner, through the appropriate email address rather than the report form or Brand Registry. Send your request to the contact listed in the warning and state the facts concisely. The following is a sample message assuming a case where your sourcing records suggest a misidentification; it is not a real case. Think carefully, including about the impact on your business relationships, before deciding whether to show the rights owner your supplier's name or a copy of your invoice.

We have confirmed, through a notification from Amazon dated [notification date], that our listing (ASIN: [affected ASIN]) was removed following a complaint concerning your registered trademark (registration number: [number]). We sourced this product through authorized distribution channels, and the quantities and transaction details are confirmed by our invoices. If our listing contains anything that could cause confusion, we will correct it as soon as you point it out. If you determine that the complaint does not apply to our listing, we would be grateful if you could contact Amazon directly to retract it.

If you cannot obtain a retraction, go back to STEP 2: if the complaint is mistaken, file a dispute with supporting documents; if it is accurate, respond by showing your corrective action and preventive measures. If your account has been suspended, appeal using the procedure in STEP 4 below.

STEP 4. If you are suspended, submit an appeal

If your account is suspended, submit an appeal from Reactivate Your Selling Account at the top of the Account Health page, or reply to the suspension notice. A response is said to take up to about two days, and any additional information should be submitted through View Account Health Requests (アカウント健全性の要請を見る). Amazon's official guidelines include stating the facts concisely, showing the root cause and the actions you have taken along with relevant documents, and providing evidence for every ASIN under review. How to write an appeal is explained in how to put together a plan of action.

What not to do

• Altering or forging invoices or letters of authorization: Digitally altered invoices are not reviewed, and submitting fraudulent documents can make your situation worse. If you don't have a document on hand, ask your supplier for a document that matches the actual transaction, such as a copy of the invoice issued at the time of the transaction (never ask them to change the date, quantity or other details).
• Continuing to sell on a new account: Amazon's Seller Code of Conduct states that, unless you have a legitimate business need, you may have only one Seller Central account per region. Selling on another account to evade a suspension or warning is a policy violation and may also cause that account to be suspended along with yours as a related account.
• Deleting the listing and calling it done: Amazon staff point out that, depending on the type of violation, deletion alone may not resolve it, and they recommend checking the Performance Notification.
• Pressuring the rights owner with harsh language to retract: Retraction is the rights owner's decision. Intimidating messages or explanations that don't match the facts only make the problem worse.
• Resubmitting the same dispute without changes: Find out why it was rejected and add documents or explanation (this is different from filing a dispute that states it's the second occurrence when a listing is removed again for the same reason).

Preventing recurrence: build a rights check into your pre-listing routine

Add the following items to the pre-listing checks Amazon recommends (whether you source from reliable suppliers, whether you can prove the product is genuine, whether your description could confuse buyers, and whether you use trademarks factually to describe compatibility).

When sourcing from overseas, goods that infringe trademark rights, design rights, or similar rights cannot be imported if Japan Customs determines them to be infringing, regardless of quantity and even if you did not know they were fake. In addition, since October 1, 2022, counterfeits infringing trademark or design rights that are sent by mail or other means from overseas businesses have been subject to enforcement even when purchased for personal use. Confirm your supplier's reliability and the rights involved before placing an order.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Does a wholesaler's authorization to sell count as a letter of authorization?

A. Amazon's Help on letters of authorization lists distribution rights or reseller agreements, invoices, delivery notes, purchase orders, and similar documents as examples that are not accepted as a letter of authorization. Check whether you can obtain a document from the rights owner themselves that covers the five items described above.

Q. I heard you won't be suspended as long as you have no more than five infringement violations.

A. The March 2025 version of Amazon's official materials did mention a number, but the current Help, effective from July 23, 2025, does not give a specific limit for each policy; it says that for high-severity violations the limit may be as few as two. Don't count on a number; respond from the very first violation.

Q. Once a complaint is retracted, can I start selling again right away?

A. Amazon's Help says content can be restored once a complaint is retracted, but we have not been able to find any official statement on how many days this takes. After the retraction, check the listing's status and whether the violation is still displayed in Product Policy Compliance and on the Account Health page. If nothing has changed, contact Account Health Support.

Q. Is the procedure the same on Amazon stores outside Japan?

A. It may differ by store. The U.S. Help describes options not found in the Japanese version, such as procedures for copyright under the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Check the Help for each store where you sell.

Summary

• Action can be taken even if you didn't realize you were infringing. A valid notice from a rights owner is rated "High" severity, and a counterfeit finding from a test buy is "Critical"
• Organize the notification from four angles, and use J-PlatPat to verify the registration number and whether the right is still in force
• Invoices show authenticity; letters of authorization show permission to use. Confirm which document is being requested, and never alter documents
• If it's a mistake, dispute it; if it's accurate, correct it and prevent a recurrence. The rights owner must send any retraction directly to Amazon
• Prevent repeat violations within 180 days by checking before you list and keeping your sourcing records

If you are unsure how to proceed, organize your notifications and sourcing records, then consult early with an attorney or patent attorney on legal matters, and with Account Health Support or a specialist on the procedures.

*This article provides a general explanation. The appropriate response in individual cases depends on the circumstances.

Further reading

Amazon trademark and counterfeit allegations: organizing sourcing evidence and rights information Read article → Responding to Amazon copyright complaints: identifying content and checking permissions Read article → Listings removed for suspected trademark infringement: "Trademark misuse" (商標の悪用) notifications, and checking product details and rights Read article →