The Japan Patent Office (JPO) has announced that it will launch a pilot program for the “Standards Strategy-Oriented Examination” on July 1, 2026, with the aim of promoting the integrated use of standardization and intellectual property strategies.

In recent years, companies have increasingly sought to strengthen their market competitiveness and expand business opportunities by aligning their patent strategies with activities related to the development and promotion of technical standards. In response to this trend, the JPO will introduce a mechanism that allows applicants engaged in standardization activities to adjust the timing of patent examination in accordance with the progress of those activities.

Overview of the Program

Under this pilot program, applicants may request that the timing of examination be adjusted for inventions related to standardization activities.

Specifically, examination may be initiated later than under the ordinary examination process, enabling applicants to better align patent prosecution with the progress of standardization activities and their overall IP strategy.

Applicants may designate the timing of examination up to 24 months after the filing of a request for examination.

Eligible Applications

The program applies to patent applications in technical fields where the applicant or the organization to which the inventor belongs is engaged in activities aimed at developing or promoting technical standards.

To utilize the program, applicants must submit a prescribed request form and explain the relationship between the patent application and the relevant standardization activities.

Background

The JPO has continuously worked to reduce the time required for the first office action and overall patent prosecution. As a result, Japan has established a highly efficient patent examination system.

However, in technology fields involving standardization activities, examination that proceeds too quickly may make it difficult to coordinate patent strategies with the progress of standardization efforts.

The pilot program has been introduced to address these needs and to support the integration of standardization strategies and intellectual property strategies within companies.

For further details, please refer to the Japan Patent Office (JPO) website. *Japanese only