The Japan Patent Office (JPO) has announced the launch of a pilot program for Patent Examination for Supporting Standardization Strategy on June 18, 2026.

 

Under this program, patent applications relating to technologies for which the applicant itself or the company, organization, or other entity to which the inventor belongs is engaged in standardization activities (activities aimed at the establishment and dissemination of standards) may be examined at a timing designated by the applicant, up to 24 months after the filing of a request for examination. The program is intended to enable flexible examination in accordance with the progress of standard development.

 

For further details, please refer to the following JPO webpage (Japanese only):

https://www.jpo.go.jp/system/patent/shinsa/general/hyojun-senryaku-taiou-sinsa.html

1. Concept

·       For patent applications relating to technologies for which the applicant itself or the company, organization, or other entity to which the inventor belongs is engaged in standardization activities (activities aimed at the establishment and dissemination of standards), examination will commence at a timing designated by the applicant, up to 24 months after the filing of a request for examination.

·       Applicants may explain to the examiner the role of the technology subject to standardization within their standardization strategy, the relationship between the relevant standard and the patent application, and the technical details of each application. Based on such explanations, the examiner will conduct the examination with an understanding of the content of the standard and the position of the patent application within the standardization framework.

 

2. Outline of the Procedure

 

(1) Application

(2) Examination (Interview)

3. Preliminary Procedures for Application

 Applicants wishing to utilize Patent Examination for Supporting Standardization Strategy must first complete a preliminary registration procedure by responding to the JPO’s annual call for applicants.

 

Each July, the JPO accepts preliminary applications from parties wishing to use the program during the one-year period beginning on October 1 of that year and ending on September 30 of the following year. As part of the preliminary application process, applicants must submit a list of patent application numbers that they intend to designate under the program during the relevant one-year period.

 

After the preliminary application deadline, the JPO will notify each applicant, by technical theme (technical field), of the number of applications that may be filed under the program during that one-year period.

 

4. Application for Patent Examination for Supporting Standardization Strategy

 A patent application is eligible for Patent Examination for Supporting Standardization Strategy only if it satisfies all of the following requirements:

·       The patent application relates to a technology for which the applicant itself or the company, organization, or other entity to which the inventor belongs is engaged in standardization activities (activities aimed at the establishment and dissemination of standards); and

·       The patent application is included in the list of application numbers submitted during the preliminary registration procedure.

 

To apply for Patent Examination for Supporting Standardization Strategy, the applicant must complete the application procedure within five business days from the date on which a request for examination is filed for the relevant patent application.

No official fee is required for the application.

 

5. Examination Procedure

 If a patent application is accepted under Patent Examination for Supporting Standardization Strategy, the JPO will notify the applicant by email of the scheduled month in which examination is expected to commence. In principle, this month will correspond to the timing requested by the applicant.

 

(1) Notification of JPO Coordinator

Four months before the scheduled commencement month, the JPO will notify the applicant’s representative by email of the contact information of the JPO coordinator assigned to the case.

 

(2) Interview

The applicant’s representative will coordinate the schedule with the JPO coordinator, and an interview will be conducted approximately one month before the scheduled commencement month.

Where appropriate, the applicant should amend the claims prior to the interview, to the extent possible, so that the scope of the claims corresponds to the content of the relevant standard.

During the interview, the applicant will explain the role of the technology subject to standardization within its standardization strategy, the relationship between the relevant standard and the patent application, and the technical details of each application.

 

(3) Commencement of Examination

The examiner assigned to Patent Examination for Supporting Standardization Strategy will commence substantive examination as promptly as possible on or after the notified commencement month.

 

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