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 : 6 months from earliest priority date.
- Hague Agreement route: 6 months from earliest priority date.
Inventors have a novelty grace period of 12 months after disclosure (including sale).
Reinstatement of priority is accepted on grounds of "due care."
The JPO conducts formality examination only for utility model patent applications.
20 years, and the validity period of patents for pharmaceutical inventions and pesticide inventions can be extended to 25 years upon application.
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).
- 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.
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)
Inventors have a novelty grace period of 12 months after disclosure (including sale).
3-6 months