PPH pilot program between the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the Directorate General of Intellectual Property Rights (DGIP)

The Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) commenced a PPH pilot program on June 1, 2013.

The JPO and the DGIP have agreed to extend the program for additional three years from January 1, 2024. The pilot period is scheduled to end on December 31, 2026, but will be extended as needed.

Notice of Change

• As from May 2019, the Directorate General of Intellectual Property Rights (DGIP) requires applicants to pay an additional fee for PPH requests. For details about the additional fee, please refer to the link below.
• Since January 2021, PPH-MOTTAINAI has been available for this pilot program. (However, the first office must be the JPO or the DGIP)
• The DGIP has eased the timing requirement for filing a PPH request since January 2024.
  Applicants had been required to file a PPH request at least 6 months after the publication date, but this requirement has been deleted along with the extension of the program.
  Please visit our website below for the JPO’s revised PPH guidelines and PPH request form.

How to make a request

• Guidelines (Requirements and procedures in detail) and Request form for Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)

Link

• JKT2.0

Japanese Page

[Last updated 4 January 2024]

Contact

Examination Policy Planning Office Administrative Affairs Division Patent and Design Examination Department Japan Patent Office Tel: +81-3-3581-1101 (ex. 3103) E-mail: PA2260@jpo.go.jp