Japan: Patent

Finnegan attorneys Naoki Yoshida and Chiaki Kobayashi examine emerging patterns in discretionary denial practices at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board under the Squires Administration, analyzing their impact on corporate intellectual property strategy and practice. This article, published in the Japan Intellectual Property Association's journal, explores how recent administrative changes are reshaping PTAB proceedings and what corporate practitioners need to know to adapt their IP management approaches.

6月12日、日本国特許庁（JPO）のホストの下、第19回五庁長官会合が開催され、中国国家知識産権局の張志成副局長がオンラインで出席した。

The Japan Patent Office's 2026 Status Report reveals a significant 17% surge in patent applications driven by an unusual December filing spike, while registration rates and examination timelines remain stable.

In recent years, there has been growing recognition of the strategic importance of intellectual property ("IP") rights—particularly patents—in corporate business strategy.

Because Japan applies a strict first-to-file rule, opportunistic filers often racing to register brands before the rightful owners can act. If you don't secure protection early, you risk rebranding...

On May 27, 2025, the Intellectual Property High Court of Japan awarded plaintiff Toray Industries, Inc. ("Toray") ¥21.76 billion (US$151 million; €133 million) in damages for patent infringement by defendants Sawai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ("Sawai") and Fuso Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd. ("Fuso").

Patent Litigation Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Japan, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

In general, Japan is a civil law jurisdiction. Most of Japan's modern legal systems are based on continental European civil law systems.

Having rejected the district court's ruling that the patents' specification failed to disclose that a glidant was optional, the Federal Circuit likewise rejected the district court's reliance on