The JPO conducts formality examination and substantive examination of the design patent application, and the substantive examination starts automatically, and the applicant does not need to submit a separate substantive examination request. JPO mainly examines the novelty and inventiveness of designs.
- (*Secret design: applicants can request that their design remain secret for 3 years from the filing date).
The JPO conducts formality examination only for utility model patent applications.
yes. Multiple designs may be included in one design application.
- via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
- Hague Agreement route: 6 months from earliest priority date.
yes
5-7 months
yes
yes.
- Within the period of 9 years and 6 months from the date of application for the invention patent, or within 3 months from the date of receipt of the notification of rejection, the patent type of the invention patent may be changed from invention to utility model/design upon request
- A request to change the patent type from invention to utility model/design can be filed within three months from the date of the JPO’s first decision to reject the application
A conversion fee shall be paid for patent type conversion. Once the original patent application is converted, it will be deemed withdrawn.
10 years
25 years
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.