Revision History of Examination Guidelines for Patent and Utility Model in Japan

May 2024

• Revision of Examination Guidelines for Patent and Utility Model in Japan in accordance with "commencement of operation of the System for Non-disclosure of Patent Applications" and other updates

April 2023

• Revision of Examination Guidelines

April 2022

• Revision of Examination Guidelines related to Multi-Multi Claim Restriction

March 2019

• Revision of Examination Guidelines related to Extension of Patent Term
  The revised Examination Guidelines for Patent and Utility Model in Japan is applied to examination on the applications for registration of patent term extension of the patent applications filed on or after March 10, 2020.

June 2018

• Revision of Examination Guidelines related to Exceptions to Loss of Novelty

April 2018

• Points of Revision of the Examination Guidelines and Examination Handbook for Computer Software-Related Inventions(PDF:627KB)

April 2016

• Revision of the Examination Guidelines for Patent and Utility Model

October 2015

• Points of Update of Examination Guidelines and Examination Handbook for Patent and Utility Model (PDF:317KB)

[Last updated 1 May 2024]

Contact Us

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