From 1 April 2016 onward, the JPO (Japan Patent Office) will start granting substantial reductions to official fees to foreign companies and organisations. The reductions will apply to the application and annuity fees for patent, trademark and utility model applications. Moreover, foreign Small and Medium-Sized Entities (SMEs) will be able to gain more reductions of patent cases, if they meet certain criteria.
From April 2016, the JPO will extend its official fee reduction scheme to foreign companies and organisations.
Regarding SMEs reduction, if your company has applications or other activities with the JPO, we recommend that you find out whether you are eligible for the reductions! These reductions can be applied for retroactively in certain cases. Berggren’s Japan Patent Attorney Ryoko Oshikamo will be happy to answer all questions relating to this subject.
Reductions of 100%, 50%, 33% depending on the size of your organisation and your business
The new JPO fee reduction scheme will lighten the burden of JPO application and annuity fees.
In Ryoko Oshikamo’s words: “The size of the reductions is defined not only by the size and type of organisation (private, research institute, university etc.) but also by its field of business and financial figures. A small organisation is defined to have less than 300 people. Small organisations are subdivided into three groups depending on field of business and certain financial figures. The reductions for midsized organisations are also defined by, among other things, field of business.”
The reductions are sizable, as depending on the organisation and the IP in question (patent, trademark, utility model), the reductions will be 33, 50 or 100 % during a certain period.
Customised fee optimisation services for Berggren’s customers with business in Japan
Ryoko Oshikamo has many hints for Berggren’s clients about how to optimise JPO fees.
“For example, adjusting the filing date and the fee payment date are very important for securing optimal reductions and retroactive compensation, and this should be taken into account when filing or paying fees.”
If your organisation has IP activities in Japan, it would be to contact either your own patent/trademark attorney or Ryoko Oshikamo (ryoko.oshikamo@berggren.fi) for further details and advice (inquiries preferably in English).
More information: JPO link
Photos: Ryoko Oshikamo, Jukka Lehtinen
