Which is the competent authority for utility model patent applications in Japan?

10 years

Inventors have a novelty grace period of 12 months after disclosure (including sale).

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).

3-6 months

• Grant fee: The applicant shall pay the granted fee within 30 days after receiving the granted notice.
• Annuity: The annual fee for the first to third years must be paid together with the application fee when the patent application is filed, and the annual fee will be paid year by year from the fourth year, and the payment period corresponds to the granted date. 200% of the year's annual fee paid within the month is a late fee.

Reinstatement of priority is accepted on grounds of "due care."

• 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.

• Grant fee: The applicant needs to pay the granted fee within 30 days after receiving the granted notice, which is the annual fee for the first to third years.
• Annuity: From the 4th year from the date of granted, the annual fee will be paid year by year, and the payment can be postponed within 6 months after the overdue period, but at the same time, 200% of the annual fee of the current year must be paid as a penalty. The amount of the annual fee depends on the number of Claim, and the annual fee can be paid for several years in one lump sum.