JPO-MOIP Examiner Exchange Program Held

March 19, 2026

From March 9 to 13, 2026, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) held an Examiner Exchange Program^* with the Ministry of Intellectual Property of Korea (MOIP).

The JPO has continued Examiner Exchange Programs with the MOIP and its predecessor KIPO since 2000, and this year conducted the program by inviting MOIP examiners to the JPO.

Five JPO and two MOIP patent examiners in two technical fields of robotics and glass technology participated in the program. They discussed cross-filed cases and exchanged information regarding the application of examination guidelines in day-to-day examination, as well as prior art search methods including use of commercial databases and FI/F-terms. They also exchanged opinions on AI use in examination with the participation of JPO’s examination tool development officers. Through these activities, participants from the two Offices successfully deepened their understanding of each other’s patent examination practices.

The JPO will continue to cooperate on patent examination with overseas IP Offices.

• Link to the Examiner Exchange Program page in the JPO Status Report 2025 (PDF)

* The Examiner Exchange Program is designed to foster a relationship of trust and deepen mutual understanding between the examiners of the JPO and those of an overseas IP Office and to promote mutual use of prior art search results and examination results through discussions on each other's prior art search methods and examination practices.
 

Participants from two offices

Exchange of opinions

[Last updated 19 March 2026]