Request for Examination
(March 27, 2011)
In Japan, a patent application will not be examined unless a request for examination is filed within three (3) years of the filing date.
One of the most frequently asked questions from non-Japanese clients is about when to file this request for examination. In general, Japanese companies decide whether or not the request for examination should be filed mainly from the product commercialization viewpoint by the examination filing due. Because the publication has the effect of indirectly holding the competitor’s movements, in many cases, the request for examination is not filed in order to save the prosecution cost unless the invention is realized.
In case of the applications based on those filed in the United States, it will not be too late to file a request for examination even after the U.S. application is granted. What would be the cost to file a request for examination? Please try our online fee calculator as the fee for examination request varies depending on the number of claims? LEARN MORE
The examination is conducted in the order of the request filing, which usually takes one to two years to be completed. If you are interested in Japan’s accelerated examination system, which enables the applicant to obtain the result within three to four months from the request date, please read on? LEARN MORE