1-2 years
3-6 months
Japan Patent Office
English: Japan Patent Office, abbreviation: JPO
Website: Japan Patent Office (jpo.go.jp)
Japanese Invention Patent Search: Japan Platform for Patent Information｜J-PlatPat [JPP] (inpit.go.jp)
yes. Multiple designs may be included in one design application.
1-2 years
- via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
- Hague Agreement route: 6 months from earliest priority date.
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).
10 years
25 years
- 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.
20 years, and the validity period of patents for pharmaceutical inventions and pesticide inventions can be extended to 25 years upon application.