Government Policy

Indonesia, Thailand Continuing Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Program with Japan Patent Office beyond 2024

Indonesia’s Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) and Thailand’s Department of Intellectual Property in Thailand (DIP) are extending their Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) trial arrangements with the Japan Patent Office 3 years and 2 years, respectively, from the start of…
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Q&A: Multi-Multi Claims in Japanese Patent Applications

1. What is a “Multi-Multi Claim”? “Multi-multi claim” means “any dependent claim that refers to more than one other claim in the alternative (‘multiple dependent claim’) which depends from any other multiple dependent claim”.[1] A multi-multi claim hence exponentially increases…
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DWANGO Vs. FC2 Decision by IP High Court, Japan, Means Protection for Patented Programs “Imported” from Foreign Servers

Japan’s IP High Court (IPHC) is setting a trend to deny patented programs even if sent from servers outside of Japan, with its May 26, 2023 case DWANGO v. FC2. The IPHC rejects immunity to FC2 simply on grounds that…
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New Policy, April 2023: Japan Patent Office Allows Suspension of Examination for Divisional Application, Where Parent Application is Pending Appeal

Worried what to do about a divisional patent application while the parent application appeal is pending in Japan? How to handle the fork in the road? Starting from April 1, 2023, for divisional applications filed in conjunction with a Request…
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New Rule, April 2023: Reinstatement for Patent Applications to Meet “Unintentional” Instead of “Due Care” Standards

April 1, 2023 marks an important shift for those who might realize, with dread, that a key patent deadline in Japan has been missed. The standard for Reinstatement (Revival with a late filing) is softening from “Justifiable” to “Unintentional” Delay….
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