The Japan Patent Office (JPO) has released the “JPO Annual Report 2026” on July 27, 2026.

In this report, the following key points are included.

 

● Patents
– In 2025, the number of patent applications increased by more than 50,000 compared with the previous year.
– Patent applications from China and Korea are increasing.

[Trends in Patent Applications]

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Filing Year)

 

[Average Time to First Office Action (FA) and Grant]

(months)

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Fiscal Year)

 

[Grant Rates at Major Patent Offices]

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Year)

 

[Patent Applications Filed in Japan by Foreign Applicants]

(thousand)

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Filing Year)

 

● Designs
– The total number of design applications remained generally stable.
– The proportion of international design registration applications continued to increase.
– Applications from China are increasing.

[Trends in Design Registration Applications]

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Filing Year)

 

[Average Time to First Office Action (FA) and Registration]

(months)

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Fiscal Year)

[Design Applications Filed in Japan by Foreign Applicants]

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Filing Year)

 

● Trademarks
– Trademark application filings rebounded after a period of decline.
– Applications from China are increasing.

[Trends in Trademark Registration Applications]

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Filing Year)

 

[Average Time to First Office Action (FA) and Registration]

(months)

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Fiscal Year)

 

[Trademark Applications Filed in Japan by Foreign Applicants]

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(Filing Year)

If you are interested, please refer to the following JPO website:
https://www.jpo.go.jp/resources/report/nenji/2026/index.html (Japanese only)

In addition, we have prepared a document entitled “Japanese IP Trends 2026” which summarizes the main points of this report and “JPO Status Report 2026” released by JPO in March.