Reinstatement of priority on grounds of "due care" accepted.
The JPO conducts formality examination only for utility model patent applications.
25 years
3-6 months
Inventors have a novelty grace period of 12 months after disclosure (including sale).
- via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
- Hague Agreement route: 6 months from earliest priority date.
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 Once the original patent application is converted, it will be deemed withdrawn.
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.
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.
1-2 years