The Japan Patent Office
(JPO) has reduced fees for both domestic and foreign small and medium sized
enterprises (SMEs), provided the SME satisfies a certain set of criteria.
The discounts apply to “Requests
for Examination” and “Patent Annuities” for applications in which the request
for examination has been completed.
The request and submission of documents
certifying that an applicant’s company, institute, university, organization,
etc., is qualified to receive a Request for Examination and/or an Annuity
discount, should be made directly to the JPO at the same time the request for
examination is filed or an annuity payment is made.
Researchers at R&D SMEs, national,
state, or private colleges and universities, technical colleges and research
institutions jointly used by national, state, or private colleges and
universities, and venture companies are invited to apply for these discounts.
Small businesses: a 66% reduction in the
request for the examination fee, annuities (1st to 10th
year), search fees, and preliminary examination fees is possible.
Individual inventors: a 50% reduction in
the request for the examination fee and annuities (1st to 10th
year) is possible for patents. Utility models may receive a 50% reduction in
the request for a technical assessment or a three year grace period for the
registration fee.
R&D SMEs, national, state, or private
colleges and universities, and technology licensing organizations (TLOs): a 50%
reduction in the request for examination fee and annuities (1st to
10th years) is possible.
Restrictions
The above program is restricted to enterprises
that satisfy both 1) and 2) below.
1) Number of
employees
Small businesses or
corporations with fewer than 20 employees or companies involved in the trade
and service industries having fewer than 5 employees.
Small businesses which have
been operating for fewer than 10 years.
Businesses or corporations
in business for 10 years, but with less than 300 million yen ($2,777,778) in
capital.
2) Capital
Construction, manufacturing,
or transportation companies having less than 300 million yen in capital.
Retailers having less than
50 million yen ($462,963) in capital.
Wholesale corporations
having less than 100 million yen ($925,926) in capital.
Please
note that the above stated fees are the processing fees required by the JPO.
Separate attorney’s fees and translation fees are required to prepare a
Japanese application for submission at the JPO.
For
your reference: ¥108 = $1 US (Rate as of January 2020)