KOKUYO Dot Liner: Dotted Tape Glue, Sizes & Refills
The KOKUYO Dot Liner is a refillable tape glue that lays adhesive as rows of tiny dots, so the strip cuts cleanly when you lift it. KOKUYO's standard Ta-DM400-08N holds 8.4 mm × 16 m of tape, refills are Ta-D400-08N, and KOKUYO says the series passed 200 million units shipped in June 2025.
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Product facts
- Product
- KOKUYO Dot Liner standard tape glue, firm adhesive (Ta-DM400-08N), refill Ta-D400-08N
- Brand
- KOKUYO
- Brand origin
- Japan
- Made in
- Thailand*
- Material
- Recycled ABS case (70% recycled content); dot-pattern adhesive on a carrier tape
- Released
- June 2005
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per item
Notes on these facts
- Made by KOKUYO Co., Ltd.. Made in Thailand: KOKUYO Store lists Thailand for an 8.4 mm × 16 m refill pack, and Simple Paper lists Thailand for its Dot Liner glue tape. We didn't find the origin stated for the Ta-DM400-08N body itself. Source. Price: example listing.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- The standard Dot Liner (Ta-DM400-08N) holds 8.4 mm × 16 m (0.33 in × 52 ft) of tape and lists at ¥510 (about US$3.20) before tax in Japan; refills are ¥390 (about US$2.50).
- KOKUYO launched the Dot Liner in June 2005 as Japan's first tape glue with a dot pattern of adhesive.
- Shipments passed 100 million in Japan by November 2017 and 200 million for the series in June 2025, per KOKUYO.
- A Japanese retail spec gives the body as 94 mm (3.7 in) long, with a case of 70% recycled ABS.
- KOKUYO Store and Simple Paper list Dot Liner tape as made in Thailand.
What is the KOKUYO Dot Liner?
It’s a refillable tape glue: a hand-held applicator that rolls a dry strip of adhesive onto paper, laid as rows of tiny dots. KOKUYO calls it テープのり (tape glue); in the US the same tool is usually called a tape runner.
KOKUYO began selling the Dot Liner in June 2005, after a development project that started in 2002, and its history page calls it Japan’s first tape glue with a dot pattern. It became one of KOKUYO’s best-known products: the company says it shipped 100 million in Japan by November 2017 and 200 million across the series by June 2025.
Why does the glue come in dots?
Because a dotted strip breaks off cleanly at the end of a stroke. A solid film of glue tends to string or drag a tail when you lift the runner; dots leave gaps for it to tear along.
The dots also mean less glue for the same width, which keeps the strip thin under paper. We haven’t measured how much thinner, and KOKUYO doesn’t publish an adhesive weight.
KOKUYO Dot Liner specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Model | Ta-DM400-08N (standard, firm adhesive) |
| Tape | 8.4 mm × 16 m (0.33 in × 52 ft) |
| Refill | Ta-D400-08N, JAN 4901480151830 |
| Body length | 94 mm (3.7 in), Japanese retail spec |
| Case | Recycled ABS, 70% recycled content |
| Japan list price | ¥510 (about US$3.20) before tax; refill ¥390 (about US$2.50) |
| First released | June 2005 |
| Made in | Thailand (KOKUYO Store and Simple Paper, for the tape) |
The tape size, models and price come from KOKUYO’s Japanese site, and the body length from ASKUL’s listing. KOKUYO’s recycled-content figures are given on its limited-design Dot Liner page for the same series.
How much does one refill cover?
About 32 greeting cards glued round every edge, by our arithmetic. An A2 card is 108 × 140 mm (4.25 × 5.5 in), so a strip along all four edges uses about 496 mm, and 16 m ÷ 496 mm is about 32.
Most journal pages need far less: two 5 cm strips hold a ticket, so a refill would fix about 160 of them.
Which Dot Liner adhesive should you choose?
Firm for everyday paper, instant strong when you need more hold, and removable for things you’ll move. KOKUYO sells the three types across its Dot Liner bodies:
| Adhesive (Japanese name) | Use, per KOKUYO |
|---|---|
| Firm (しっかり貼る) | Sealing envelopes, pasting receipts; Ta-DM400-08N |
| Instant strong (強力に貼る) | Jobs that need more hold; Ta-DM403-08 |
| Removable (貼ってはがせる) | Temporary fixing; peels off; Ta-DM401-08 |
In the US, JetPens sells the standard body in permanent and removable versions; its removable one is the TA-DM401-08, listed as acid-free and refillable. KOKUYO’s lineup in 2025 ran to 18 items and 134 versions, including compact, wide and 50 m long versions. The standard firm type also comes with a transparent body, in an 8 m version, and with a heart-shaped glue pattern.
How does it compare with the Tombow MONO Adhesive?
They’re the same size of tape on paper; the difference is the glue pattern and the refill length. The Tombow MONO Adhesive Permanent lays a continuous 8.4 mm film, 12 m per refill, while the standard Dot Liner lays 8.4 mm of dots, 16 m per refill.
| KOKUYO Dot Liner (Ta-DM400-08N) | Tombow MONO Adhesive Permanent (62106) | |
|---|---|---|
| Tape | 8.4 mm × 16 m | 8.4 mm × 12 m (1/3 × 472 in) |
| Glue pattern | Dots | Continuous film |
| Refill | Ta-D400-08N | 62107 |
| Made in | Thailand (retailers) | Thailand (retailers) |
For wet glue that goes on visibly and dries clear, the Elmer’s Disappearing Purple glue stick is the common school-desk choice.
Where is the KOKUYO Dot Liner made?
KOKUYO Store and Simple Paper list Dot Liner tape as made in Thailand. We didn’t find the country stated for the Ta-DM400-08N body itself, so check the package. KOKUYO is a Japanese company based in Osaka, also the maker of the Campus notebook.
Frequently asked questions
How much tape is in a KOKUYO Dot Liner?
The standard Ta-DM400-08N holds a tape 8.4 mm wide and 16 m long, about 0.33 in by 52 ft. Its Ta-D400-08N refill holds the same amount.
What refill does the Dot Liner use?
The standard firm-adhesive Dot Liner takes the Ta-D400-08N refill, 8.4 mm × 16 m. KOKUYO's Japanese product database lists its JAN as 4901480151830.
Why is it called Dot Liner?
The glue sits on the tape as rows of tiny dots instead of a solid film. KOKUYO says it was Japan's first tape glue with a dot pattern, launched in June 2005.
Is the Dot Liner permanent or removable?
Both exist. KOKUYO sells three adhesive types: firm (しっかり貼る, Ta-DM400-08N), instant strong (強力に貼る, Ta-DM403-08) and removable (貼ってはがせる, Ta-DM401-08). JetPens sells the standard Dot Liner in permanent and removable versions.
What is the Dot Liner good for?
KOKUYO's Q&A says the firm type suits sealing envelopes and pasting receipts. Journalers use it for tickets, photos and paper layers because, like any tape glue, it doesn't wet or wrinkle the paper.
How many Dot Liners has KOKUYO sold?
KOKUYO says the series passed 200 million units shipped in June 2025, with 18 items and 134 versions sold in more than 15 countries.
Where is the KOKUYO Dot Liner made?
KOKUYO Store and Simple Paper list Dot Liner tape as made in Thailand. KOKUYO itself is a Japanese company based in Osaka.
Sources
- KOKUYO: ドットライナースタンダード (Ta-DM400-08N, 8.4 mm × 16 m, ¥510, refill ¥390; three adhesive types; page read in full)
- KOKUYO: タ-D400-08N 商品情報詳細 (refill, 8.4 mm × 16 m, for Ta-DM400-08N, JAN 4901480151830)
- KOKUYO: ユーザーサポート｜ドットライナー (refills and how to change them)
- KOKUYO: Q＆A｜ドットライナー (which adhesive type for which job)
- KOKUYO: 限定デザイン ドットライナー (R-ABS case with 70% recycled content, R-PS refill case)
- KOKUYO history: ドットライナー (launched June 2005, Japan's first dot-pattern tape glue)
- KOKUYO news: テープのり「ドットライナー」国内累計出荷1億個を突破 (December 18, 2017)
- KOKUYO news: 「ドットライナー」シリーズの累計出荷数が2億個を突破 (July 9, 2025)
- ASKUL: コクヨ ドットライナー タ-DM400-08N (overall length 94 mm, R-ABS 70%)
- JetPens: Kokuyo Dotliner Tape Runner, Standard Type, Permanent Adhesive
- JetPens: Kokuyo Dotliner Tape Runner, Standard Type, Removable Adhesive (TA-DM401-08, 8.4 mm × 16 m, acid-free)
- KOKUYO Store: Dotliner Tape Glue Refill, Strongly Stick, Pack of 3, 8.4 mm × 16 m (made in Thailand)
- Simple Paper: KOKUYO Dotliner Glue Tape, Strong Adhesive (made in Thailand)