Strengthening Companies’ “Earning Power” Through IP: Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office Kasai Yasuyuki (河西康之) Discusses 3 Initiatives <Part 1>

The Japan Patent Office has outlined 3 initiatives to support the use of intellectual property and link it to corporate growth and earning power. Based on the premise of the world’s fastest, highest-quality patent examination, the initiatives aim to create an environment that encourages companies to acquire and use IP strategically.

The first is business strategy-focused consolidated examination. New businesses may involve applications not only for multiple patents, but also for designs and trademarks. The examiners in charge meet collectively with the applicant to hear about the business objectives, deepen their understanding of the business, and then proceed with the examination.

The second is the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH), which accelerates the acquisition overseas of patents obtained in Japan and shortens the time required to secure rights abroad. In one example from Vietnam, the examination period was reduced by roughly half, to 13.2 months, and Japan cooperates with 46 intellectual property offices.

In January this year, Japan launched PPH Navi, a PPH coordination program, with Thailand. Japan provides Thailand with the key points from its examinations, with the aim of improving examination quality and shortening examination periods. Japan hopes to establish similar cooperation with other countries in the future.

The third is standardization strategy examination, which promotes the acquisition of rights with future standards in mind. Because standardization takes time, a pilot program was launched in the current fiscal year to delay the start of examination in line with progress toward standardization.

Expectations were also expressed for the IP and Information Fair & Conference, which opens on 16 September.