In response to the unprecedented damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, the government and other stakeholders are working together to provide support measures and activities for recovery have also started in affected areas.

In these circumstances, in order to expedite the revival of companies affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake through utilizing their intellectual property, the JPO will commence the “Earthquake Disaster Recovery-related Accelerated Examination and Accelerated Appeal Examination” program. It will provide quicker examination/appeal examination services for companies that are affected by the earthquake and intend to apply for patent, design or trademark registration.

(1) Eligibility

If you have an address or temporary residence in a location to which the Disaster Relief Act (Act No.118 in 1947) is applicable (excluding Tokyo; hereinafter, these locations are collectively referred to as the “specified affected area”) and have suffered damage from the earthquake and subsequent disaster, you may apply for the accelerated examination/appeal examination services.

(2) Eligible applications and appeals

This program is applicable to patent applications, design registration applications, trademark registration applications or appeals against examiner’s rejection related with the aforementioned applications that fall under (A) or (B) as follows.

(A) by all or some of applicants or appellants who have an address or temporary residence in the specified affected area, applications by people affected by the earthquake and appeals against examiner’s rejection.

(B) If the applicant or appellant is an incorporated entity, and the incorporated entity’s business establishment in the specified affected area suffers damages resulting from the earthquake and related disasters, and the applicant or appellant intends to file an application for (a) an invention, (b) a design, or (c) a trademark related with business operations of such business establishments as listed below, or pursue appeals against examiner’s rejection related with any of the aforementioned applications.

(a) Invention that is created or licensed as business operations of such business establishment;

(b) Design that is created or licensed as business operations of such business establishment; or

(c) Trademark that is used as business operations of such business establishment

For one year from August 1, 2011, for the time being

Refer to the following websites or guidelines for more information on application procedures.

Patent:

• The JPO will launch the Earthquake Disaster Recovery Support-related Accelerated Examinations and Accelerated Appeal Examination for Patent Applications (in Japanese)
• Guidelines for Accelerated Examination and Accelerated Appeal Examination for Patent Applications <PDF: 532kb>(in Japanese)

Design:

• Guidelines for Earthquake Disaster Recovery Support-related Accelerated Examination and Accelerated Appeal Examination (design) <PDF: 234kb>(in Japanese)

Trademark:

• Guidelines for Earthquake Disaster Recovery Support-related Accelerated Examination and Accelerated Appeal Examination (trademark) <PDF: 258kb>(in Japanese)

July 28, 2011

<In the case of patent applications>
Administrative Affairs Division, First Patent Examination Department, Japan Patent Office

<In the case of application for design registration>
Design Division, Trademark, Design and Administrative Affairs Department, Japan Patent Office

<In the case of application for trademark registration>
Trademark Division, Trademark, Design and Administrative Affairs Department, Japan Patent Office

<In the case of trials against examiner’s refusal decision>
Appeals Division, Appeals Department, Japan Patent Office

List of Specified Affected Areas

Aomori Prefecture	Hachinohe City, Oirase Town (Kamikita-gun)
Iwate Prefecture	All municipalities
Miyagi Prefecture	All municipalities
Fukushima Prefecture	All municipalities
Ibaraki Prefecture	Mito City, Hitachi City, Tsuchiura City, Ishioka City, Ryugasaki City, Shimotsuma City, Joso City, Hitachi-Ota City, Takahagi City, Kita-Ibaraki City, Kasama City, Toride City, Ushiku City, Tsukuba City, Hitachinaka City, Kashima City, Itako City, Hitachi-Omiya City, Kasumigaura City, Sakuragawa City, Kamisu City, Namegata City, Hokota City, Tsukubamirai City, Omitama City, Ibaraki Town (Higashi-Ibaraki-gun), Oarai Town (Higashi-Ibaraki-gun), Shirosato Town (Higashi-Ibaraki-gun), Tokai Village (Naka-gun), Daigo Town (Kuji-gun), Ami Town (Inashiki-gun), Naka City, Miho Village (Inashiki-gun), Kawachi Town (Inashiki-gun), Chikusei City, Inashiki City, and Tone Town (Kita-Soma-gun)
Tochigi Prefecture	Utsunomiya City, Oyama City, Maoka City, Ohtawara City, Yaita City, Nasu-Shiobara City, Sakura City, Nasukarasuyama City, Mashiko Town (Haga-gun), Motegi Town (Haga-gun), Ichikai Town (Haga-gun), Haga Town (Haga-gun), Takanezawa Town (Shioya-gun), Nasu Town (Nasu-gun), and Nakagawa Town (Nasu-gun)
Chiba Prefecture	Asahi City, Katori City, Sanmu City, Kujukuri Town (Sanbu-gun), Mihama-ku (Chiba City), Narashino City, Abiko City and Urayasu City
Niigata Prefecture	Tokamachi City, Joetsu City and Tsunan Town (Naka-Uonuma-gun)
Nagano Prefecture	Sakae Village (Shimominochi-gun)