Japanese Patents — Reduction of the Request-for-Examination Fee
In Japan, the request-for-examination fee is expensive. It is probably the highest in the world. This is why obtaining a patent in Japan is said to be costly.
However, there is a reduction system. You should make good use of it. Note, though, that—as in Korea—no reduction applies when the inventor and the applicant are the same individual.
It is similar to the U.S. small entity, but not identical.
Below, let us examine the matter assuming there are 10 claims.
1. The ordinary request-for-examination fee
- 1) For the Paris Convention case:
118,000 yen + (number of claims × 4,000 yen) = 158,000 yen. About 1.6 million won. - 2) For PCT (Korean application):
106,000 yen + (number of claims × 3,600 yen) = 142,000 yen.
2. Eligibility for reduction ( https://www.jpo.go.jp/seido/shutugan_uketuke/tesuryo/genmen/index.html )
3. Reductions that actually apply
As noted above, there are many categories eligible for reduction, but the reductions that Korean applicants can actually receive are as follows. The request-for-examination cost is reduced to one-third.
- a. An individual business owner or corporation with 20 or fewer employees
- b. An individual business owner less than 10 years after commencing business
- c. A corporation less than 10 years after establishment with capital of 300 million yen or less
- d. A university
4. The cost after the reduction
Our patent office sets a filing handling fee of 30,000 yen.
Therefore, if you receive the reduction, even after deducting the handling fee, in the case of 10 claims, 80,000 yen is reduced under the Paris Convention and 70,000 yen under PCT.
It seems there are far too many Korean applicants who do not receive the reduction.
It appears that other Japanese offices do not even inform clients about it.
There is no need to pay unnecessary money to the Japan Patent Office. Let us receive the reduction.
[Source] Japanese Patents — Reduction of the Request-for-Examination Fee | Author: Patent Attorney Won-gi Jung