What are the requirements for Japanese invention patent application documents

The JPO conducts formality examination only for utility model patent applications.

The JPO conducts formality examination and substantive examination of invention patent applications. The applicant should submit a request for substantive examination within 3 years from the filing date. The JPO makes an granted decision if it determines after review that no grounds for refusal have been found.

• via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
• via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.

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 Once the original patent application is converted, it will be deemed withdrawn.

yes

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 design does not lose its novelty if it is disclosed by the designer in Japan within 12 months from the filing date/priority date.

20 years, and the validity period of patents for pharmaceutical inventions and pesticide inventions can be extended to 25 years upon application.

• Inventions under the via Paris Convention : 12 months from the earliest priority date.
• via Nationalization of PCT inventions: 30 months from the earliest priority date.