Examination Handbook for Patent and Utility Model in Japan

Followings are the English texts of the Examination Handbook for Patent and Utility Model in Japan. When any ambiguity of interpretation is found in this provisional translation, the Japanese text shall prevail.

Examination Handbook for Patent and Utility Model in Japan (full text except Annex) (PDF:3,396KB)

Examination Handbook for Patent and Utility Model in Japan applied to Examination on Applications for Registration of Patent Term Extension of Patent Applications filed on or before March 9, 2020

Revision History of the Examination Handbook for Patent and Utility Model

Contents

• Part I Outline of Examination (PDF:526KB)
• Part II Description and Claims (PDF:415KB)
• Part III Patentability (PDF:585KB)
• Part IV Amendments of Description, Claims or Drawings (PDF:46KB)
• Part V Priority (PDF:171KB)
• Part VI Special Application (PDF:413KB)
• Part VII Foreign Language Written Applications (PDF:221KB)
• Part VIII International Patent Application (PDF:378KB)
• Part IX Extension of Patent Term (PDF:676KB)
• Part X Utility Model (PDF:146KB)
• Part XI Affairs in General (PDF:369KB)
• Annex A Case Examples (PDF:24KB)
  • 1. Description Requirements (Article 36) (PDF:1,350KB)
  • 2. Unity of Invention (Article 37) (PDF:1,238KB)
  • 3. Eligibility for Patent and Industrial Applicability (Main Paragraph of Article 29(1)) (PDF:906KB)
  • 4. Novelty (Article 29(1)) (PDF:1,577KB)
  • 5. Inventive Step (Article 29(2)) (PDF:2,782KB)
  • 6. Prior Application (Article 39) (PDF:74KB)
  • 7. Amendment Adding New Matter (Article 17bis(3) (PDF:1,134KB)
  • 8. Amendment for other than the Prescribed Purposes (Article 17bis(5)) (PDF:702KB)
  • 9. Extension of Patent Term (Article 67 septies(1)(i)) (PDF:213KB)
• Annex B Application examples of the specific technical fields (PDF:125KB)
  
  • Chapter 1 Computer software related Inventions(PDF:2,670KB)
  • Chapter 2 Biological Inventions(PDF:612KB)
  • Chapter 3 Medicinal Inventions(PDF:382KB)
• Annex C Handbook for Preparing Report of the Utility Model Technical Opinion(PDF:107KB)
• Annex D Court precedents(PDF:127KB)
  
  • 1. Outline of Examination(PDF:260KB)
  • 2. Requirements of Description (PDF:1,288KB)
  • 3. Elibitiligy for Patent and Industrial Applicability (PDF:385KB)
  • 4. Novelty and Inventive Step(PDF:3,793KB)
  • 5. Other Requirement for Patentability (PDF:596KB)
  • 6. Amendment (PDF:645KB)
  • 7. Priority (PDF:392KB)
  • 8. Special Applications (PDF:183KB)
  • 9. Utility Models (PDF:38KB)

Reference documents

• Case examples pertinent to IoT related technology, etc. (PDF:2,089KB)
• Case examples pertinent to AI-related technology (PDF:1,990KB)

[Last updated 20 February 2025]

Contact Us

Examination Standards Office, Administrative Affairs Division, Japan Patent Office E-mail : PA2A10@jpo.go.jp