The Japan Patent Office welcomed a delegation from the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP) in October 2019, leading to signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) between Japan and Saudi Arabia’s patent offices. Included is an agreement to begin a pilot Patent Prosecution Highway program between the two nations from January 2020.
SAIP and JPO executed a statement of Intent (SOI) on PPH and Policy on the Use of Exchanged Intellectual Property Electronic Data, paving the way for smoother examinations of patent applications that have been allowed in one or the other of these two patent offices.
Japanese dependence upon Saudi Arabia for 40% of its crude oil, and investment in Japanese finance by Saudi Arabia have been noted as signs of deep mutual dependence by these two states. Though separated by nearly the entire Asian landmass, they are intertwined in the global economy. Intensifying interest in Saudi Arabia on diversifying its income sources, and Japanese hopes for better business opportunities in Saudi Arabia, underscore the value of the plans for the pilot PPH program from next year.
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Taro Yaguchi
Sources
Calder, Kent E. “Saudi Arabia, Japan and the world beyond oil.” The Japan Times.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/09/18/commentary/japan-commentary/saudi-arabia-japan-world-beyond-oil/#.XcpTF_tR3Vo September 18, 2019; accessed November 12, 2019.
Japan Patent Office. “JPO Signed an MOC on Strengthening of Cooperation with SAIP.” October 30, 2019; accessed November 12, 2019.
________. “PPH pilot program between the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP).”
Updated November 5, 2019; accessed November 12, 2019.
