For the people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) has taken bail-out measures such as extension of the period for various procedures including applications for patents, utility models, designs and trademarks. JPO also renders a close consultation service and provides information using various tools.

(1) Extension of the period for various procedures (request for examination of patent application etc.) (until the end of this August)

In accordance with the Act on Special Measures concerning Preservation of Rights and Interests of Victims of Specified Disaster (Act No. 85 of 1996), the periods for 37 procedures including request for examination of patent application, patent fee payment procedures and demand for trial (Refer to the attached material) are extended until August 31, 2011 upon request from the applicant who is disabled to follow the procedures by the regular deadline due to the effect of the earthquake.

As of April 25, 170 requests have been already made.

(2) Request for special measures to overseas patent offices

Since it is sometimes difficult to follow the procedures for patent application in foreign countries under the effect of the earthquake, JPO has requested overseas intellectual property offices in 90 countries and areas to take special measures such as extension of the period for procedures including fee payment.

Intellectual property offices in 43 countries and areas (such as the United States, Europe, China and South Korea) have announced special measures as of April 26.

(1) Establishment of special consultation counter

Special consultation counter “Telephone consultation on procedures in relation to the Great East Japan Earthquake” *1 has been established for consultation on the procedures by the earthquake. Consultation will be held in cooperation with the “General support counter for intellectual properties” *2 in the prefectures of the disaster-affected area.

The number of consultation at the special consultation counter amounts to 166 as of April 26, 2011.

*1 Telephone consultation on procedures in relation to the Great East Japan Earthquake
Tel: 03-3581-1101 (extension: 5000, 5100, 5200 and 5300)
Acceptance hours: 8:30 to 18:15 (except for Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays)

*2 One-stop consultation counter for intellectual properties of small and medium enterprises established this fiscal year in Tokyo, Hokkaido and each of other prefectures:
http://www.jpo.go.jp/torikumi/chushou/chizai_mado.htm (in Japanese)

(2) Information provision to applicants

These special measures including extension of the period for procedures are announced integrally on the JPO website and information about the measures is provided through the entities concerned. Further, JPO has issued a notice explaining bail-out measures etc. directly to about 3,000 applicants and right holders (small and medium enterprises and individuals) in earthquake-affected prefectures.

In addition, information about special measures for patent procedures etc. affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake is provided via Twitter.
> JPO official twitter: http://twitter.com/jpo_NIPPON/ (in Japanese)

The latest information will be posted on the special page on the JPO website.
> Related Information on the Great East Japan Earthquake “Announcement of handling various procedures”
http://www.jpo.go.jp/cgi/linke.cgi?url=/torikumi_e/hiroba_e/tohoku_district_earthquake.htm

- General Affairs Division, General Affairs Department, Japan Patent Office

(Requests for special measures to overseas IP offices)
- International Affairs Division, General Affairs Department, Japan Patent Office

April 27, 2011