Japan’s Intellectual Property High Court’s seventh chief judge, Makiko Takabe, was installed on May 5, 2018. Her inaugural greeting is now available on the IP High Court’s website. She has had a long career in the justice system in Japan,…
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* This is based in part on our earlier article “Power of Attorney Submission in Japan.” “I was told by another Japanese patent law firm I don’t need to submit a POA … Why do you require one?” We are…
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The JPO published its JPO Status Report 2018 recently, including reports on the JPO’s activities in promoting IP domestically and globally. Its “Facts and Events 2017” section highlights some of the standards in examination. (The report is written in English…
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The JPO is extending its Patent Prosecution Highway programs for accelerated examinations of patent applications allowed in the Eurasian Patent Office (EAPO) and Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), both into early 2021. The EAPO provides patent prosecution services…
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“I found an error in the PCT application! What can I do about it in the Japan national phase?” As we say in Japan, “Even monkeys fall from trees.” Even expert inventors, applicants, writers, and agents can make mistakes in…
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In Japan, an applicant may file a divisional patent application (in accordance with Patent Act Art. 44). This is possible from the filing of the application until prescribed deadlines. When is the latest I may file a divisional application after…
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* Updated March 10, 2020 to reflect revised rules and practice. A patent’s duration is fairly standard in Japan: 20 years from the filing date. (For a PCT international application that enters the national phase in Japan, that is 20…
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Japanese translations of technical patent documents can be very costly. Are they necessary? Here are some possible ideas applicants may have to save money–and the risks associated with them. Can I cut translation costs if I prepare the translation myself?…
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Applicants wonder about filing pre-examination amendments (for example, to delete claims) for the Japanese national stage of their Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) international applications. Filing international phase amendments (under Article 19 or Article 34 of the Patent Cooperation Treaty [PCT])…
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In 2016, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) issued a patent for a “system” of serving steak meals to fast food chain Ikinari! Steak. The method was fairly simple, and caused a stir because it seemed hardly worthy of a patent….
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