yes
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.
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 Once the original patent application is converted, it will be deemed withdrawn.
1-2 years
yes. Multiple designs may be included in one design application.
Reinstatement of priority is accepted on grounds of "due care."
20 years, and the validity period of patents for pharmaceutical inventions and pesticide inventions can be extended to 25 years upon application.
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the 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).
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.
yes