- Grant fee: The applicant should pay the granted fee and the annual fee for the first year within 30 days after receiving the granted notice.
- Annuity: The annual fee shall be paid year by year from the second year from the date of granted, and the payment of the annual fee may be postponed within 6 months if the annual fee is overdue, but a 200% penalty shall be paid at the same time.
Japan Patent Office
English: Japan Patent Office, abbreviation: JPO
Website: Japan Patent Office (jpo.go.jp)
Japanese Utility Model Patent Search: Japan Platform for Patent Information｜J-PlatPat [JPP] (inpit.go.jp)
3-6 months
The JPO conducts formality examination only for utility model patent applications.
25 years
Inventors have a novelty grace period of 12 months after disclosure (including sale).
Reinstatement of priority on grounds of "due care" accepted.
yes. Multiple designs may be included in one design application.
yes. Within 3 years from the date of application, or within 3 months from the date of receipt of the rejection decision, the patent type can be changed from design to invention/utility model at the request of the applicant.
A conversion fee shall be paid for patent type conversion. Once the original patent application is converted, it will be deemed withdrawn.
20 years, and the validity period of patents for pharmaceutical inventions and pesticide inventions can be extended to 25 years upon application.
yes