This is the archive of our previous Newsletters, which contain details of revisions to the Intellectual Property Laws of Japan as well as guides and overviews to various aspects of the Patent, Trademark, Design and Utility Model Laws. Please do not hesitate contact us for up-to-date information and also if you wish to receive future newsletters.
March 2024
Newsletter No. E-204
(PDF 284 KB)
  • Revisions to the Japanese Trademark Law, applied to the applications filed on/after April 1, 2024
  • Relaxation of the Requirements for “Exception of Lack of Novelty of Design” applicable to design applications filed on/after 1 January 2024
  • Prevention of acts of imitation in the digital space

March 2022
Newsletter No. E-203
(PDF 131 KB)
  • Recommended actions with regard to the prohibition of multiple-multiple dependent claims

January 2022
Newsletter No. E-202
(PDF 131 KB)
  • Revision of regulations regarding the phrasing of claims
    (Prohibition of multiple-multiple dependent claims)

December 2021
Newsletter No. E-201
(PDF 586 KB)
  • Powers of attorney without a signature acceptable
  • Confirmation of the identity of the signatories in assignment declarations etc.
  • Increase of the official fees for registration fees and annuities/renewal fees for patents and trademarks

April 2020
Newsletter No. E-200
(PDF 407 KB)
  • Amendments to the Design Act
  • Revision of Examination Guidelines for Trademarks
  • Changes to the Patent Act

May 2019
Newsletter No. E-199
(PDF 611 KB)
  • Revisions in the Design System
  • Introduction of the Fast Track Examination System for Trademarks
  • Revision of Examination Guidelines for Trademarks
  • Points to note due to revisions in the Common Regulations under the Madrid Agreement concerning the International Registration of Marks and the Protocol Relating to that Agreement.
  • Revisions to the Patent Law
  • Official Announcement regarding the Guide to Licensing Negotiations Involving Standard Essential Patents
  • Opposition Statistics
  • Revision to the Infringement Suit System
  • Grand Panel Decisions by the Intellectual Property High Court

8 January 2019
JPO_Exam.Req._Fees
(PDF 57 KB)
  • Announcement regarding changes to the Official Fees for Requests for Examination for patent applications.

May 2017
Newsletter E-198
(PDF 97 KB)
  • Statistics for Patent Oppositions, etc.
  • Dealing with Decisions of Rejection (Patent)
  • Recent Trademark Trends
  • Revision to the Design Examination Criteria
  • Regarding Seizures by Japanese Customs

December 2016
Newsletter E-197
(PDF 1.32 MB)
  • Important Notice Concerning International Design Applications Designating Japan Under the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement
  • Trends of New Types of Trademark Registrations
  • Revision to the Customs Law to Intercept Products that Infringe on Trade Secrets at the Border
  • Guidelines for the Employee Invention System
  • Revision of the Examination Guidelines for Patent Term Extension

April 2016
Newsletter E-196
(PDF 194 KB)
  • Additional announcement from the JPO regarding examination of Product-by-Process claims
  • Revision of the Guidelines for the Management of Trade Secrets and amendment of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act
  • Planned revision of the Customs Law in order to intercept products at the border that infringe on trade secrets
  • Supreme Court ruling on patent term extensions based on drugs that have been approved after a change in dosage or administration only
  • Revision of fees (patent and trademark)

April 2016
Newsletter Supplement
(PDF 194 KB)
  • Revision of Japanese Patent and Trademark Laws as of 1 April 2016

October 2015
Newsletter E-195
(PDF 194 KB)
  • Details of Supreme Court Ruling regarding Product-by-Process claims
  • Details of Revision of the Employee Invention Law
  • Recent trends concerning three dimensional trademarks

April 2015
Newsletter E-194
(PDF 932 KB)
  • Details of the new Patent Opposition System
  • Details of the Revision of the Design Law following Accession to the Geneva Act
  • Details of the Revision of Trademark Law allowing the Protection of New Types of Trademarks (Motion, Hologram, Color, Sound, Position)
  • Revision of the Patent Term Extension System (Expanded to Include Regenerative Medical Products)

October 2014
Newsletter E-193
(PDF 70 KB)
  • Announcement of the Introduction of a Patent Opposition System
  • Enhanced Legal Remedies concerning Deadlines
  • Forthcoming Accession to the Geneva Act and Resultant Changes to Design Act
  • Revision of Trademark Law including Announcement of New Types of Trademarks

May 2014
Newsletter E-192
(PDF 182 KB)
  • Employee Invention System (Current and Possible Changes)
  • Intro to Japanese Patent System - Filing Suit Against a JPO Appeal Decision of Rejection
  • Likely Extension to Patent Right for Regenerative Medical Products to 25 Years
  • On the Judgment of the Similarity of Trademarks

November 2013
Newsletter E-191
(PDF 110 KB)
  • Revision of Examination Guideline for "Amendment that Changes a Special Technical Feature (STF) of an Invention"
  • Measures after the filing of an Appeal against a Decision of Rejection
    • 1. Further Examination by the previous Examiner ("Preliminary Examination")
    2. Written Inquiry from the Appeal Board based on the report on the preliminary examination
  • Others
    1. System to Review a Patent Right after its Grant
    2. Revision of the Employees' Invention System
    3. Frequently Asked Questions regarding Trademark Applications

April 2013
Newsletter E-190
(PDF 84 KB)
  • Challenging Japanese Patent Applications/Granted Patents
    • 1. Measures Third Parties Can Take Against Patent Applications Prior to Grant (Pre-grant)
    2. Measures Third Parties Can Take Against Granted Patents(Post-grant)
  • Remedy for the Expired Period for Procedure
  • Information on "Directory of Foreign Brand Right Holders" published by MIPRO (Manufactured Imports & Investment Promotion Organization)
  • Information on Amendments to the Law.
    1. System to Review Patent Rights After Grant
    2. Amendment of the Japanese Examination Guidelines

December 2012
Newsletter E-189
(PDF 525 KB)
  • Accelerated Examinations and the Patent Prosecution Highway in Japan
  • The Timing for Filing a Divisional Application in Japan
  • Madrid Protocol Applications Designating Japan
    - How it Differs from Domestic Applications
  • Information on Amendments to the Law

March 2012
Newsletter E-188
(PDF 1.72 MB)
  • PATENTS
    Strengthened Protection for Non-exclusive Licensees
    Proper Protection of True Right Holders
    Limitation on Filing a Demand for Correction Trial
    Limitations on Claiming a Demand for a Retrial and the Like
    Reform of Provisions Relating to Scope of Trial Decision
    Repeal of Third Party Effect of Final and Binding Decision form a Patent Invalidation Trial
    Extension of Application of Exception to Loss of Novelty of an Invention
    Expansion of Applicant's or Patentee's Remedy
  • TRADEMARKS
    Abolishment of provision for registration perclusion within one year after extinguishment of a trademark right (Article 4, Paragraph 1(13) of the Tradmark Law)
    Abolishment of designation of exhibitions by the Commissioner of the Patent Office (Article 4, Paragraph 1(9) and Article 9,Paragraph 1 of the Tradmark Law)
    Application of Nice International Classification 10th Edition

March 2009
Newsletter E-187
(PDF 153 KB)
  • PATENTS
    Change of the term for filing an Appeal after receipt of a Decision of Rejection
  • DESIGNS, TRADEMARKS
    Change of the term for filing an Appeal after receipt of a Decision of Rejection or a Ruling dismissing an Amendment 
  • PATENTS
    Establishment of a system of registration of provisional exclusive licenses and provisional non-exclusive licenses 
  • PATENTS, UTILITY MODELS
    Restriction of access to the registered data of non-exclusive licenses, etc.
    • Increasing the number of Patent offices participating in the electronic exchange of priority documents
  • OTHERS
    Written Inquiries from the Board of Appeal

May 2008
Newsletter E-186
(PDF 100 KB)

March 2007
Newsletter E-185
(PDF 201 KB)
  • PATENT
    Easing of Limitations Regarding the Timing for Filing a Divisional Application
    Restrictions to Amendments to Divisional Patent Applications
    Prohibition of Amendments to Make the Claimed Invention Different in View of Unity of Invention
    Time Extension for Submitting Foreign Language Patent Applications
  • TRADEMARK
    Acceptance of Retail Services
  • DESIGN
    Extension of the Design Right Duration
    Easing of the Time Limit for Filing a Related Design and a Partial Design
    Protection of Screen Designs
    Determination of Similarity of Designs
    The Request Period for Secret Designs
  • COMMON REVISIONS
    Additional Infringing Act
    Additional Acts Deemed to be Infringement
    Strengthening Criminal Penalties

February 2005
Newsletter E-184 (PDF 26.0 KB)
  • Extension of Term of Utility Model Right
  • Patent Application Based on Registered Utility Model
  • Employees' Invention System
  • Estabilishment of Intellectual Property High Court
  • Reviewing and Enhancing the Relationship Between Infringement Lawsuits and Invalidation Procedures
  • Introduction of "Protective Order"
  • Improvement of In-camera Procedure
  • Issuing Official Gazettes Via Internet