Release of the Results of the FY2023 Annual User Satisfaction Surveys on Examination Quality

1. Background to the survey

Provision of quality and internationally-reliable examinations and setting of appropriate rights are significant duties of the JPO toward supporting companies' smooth, global business development, promoting innovation, and maintaining healthy business transactions. The JPO aims to properly ascertain IP users' opinions on examinations and reflect them in its future quality management initiatives, and has been conducting User Satisfaction Surveys on Examination Quality to this end.

2. Survey method

The JPO asked respondents to rate the overall quality of examinations in FY2022 on a 5-point scale: "satisfied," "somewhat satisfied," "neutral," "somewhat unsatisfied," and "unsatisfied." The survey was conducted between May and June 2023, and the response rate was over 80%. Details of the respondents are as follows.

Patents: 592 (out of 745 surveyed)
Designs: 292 (out of 349 surveyed)
Trademarks: 352 (out of 420 surveyed)

3. Outline of the survey results and future actions

(1) Patent examination

• The ratio of respondents who evaluated the overall quality of patent examinations on national applications as “neutral” or higher was 96.6%, up by 0.9 percentage points (pp) from the previous year, while the ratio of those who highly evaluated such quality was 61.1%, down by 0.2 pp from the previous year (see Figure 1). 
• The ratio of respondents who evaluated the overall quality of international search and preliminary examinations for PCT applications as “neutral” or higher was 97.1%, down by 0.4 pp from the previous year, while the ratio of those who highly evaluated such quality was 63.7%, up by 4.7 pp from the previous year (see Figure 2). 
• In response to the analysis results, the JPO decided on the following items as those on which the JPO should place weight: the consistency of judgments among examiners, the consistency of judgments among examiners on Article 29 (2): inventive step, and the consistency of judgments in the international phase, etc. The JPO will continue to conduct examinations in accordance with laws and regulations, examination standards, and guidelines, and will strive to share knowledge among examiners and improve the consistency of judgments among examiners through consultations among examiners.

(2) Design examination

• The ratio of respondents who evaluated the overall quality of design examinations as “neutral” or higher was 96.2%, up by 1.3 pp from the previous year, and the ratio of those who highly evaluated such quality was 61.3%, up by 0.9 pp from the previous year (see Figure 3).
• In response to the analysis results, the JPO decided on the following items as those on which the JPO should place weight: the consistency of judgments, the description in decisions of refusal, and the level of expert knowledge. The JPO will strive to improve the consistency of judgments among examiners through consultations on applications among examiners and other efforts.

(3) Trademark examination

• The ratio of respondents who evaluated the overall quality of trademark examinations as “neutral” or higher was 93.5%, up by 2.2 pp from the previous year, and the ratio of those who highly evaluated such quality was 52.0%, up by 2.7 pp from the previous year (see Figure 4).
• In response to the analysis results, the JPO decided on the following items as those on which the JPO should place weight: the judgment of distinctiveness, and the consistency of judgments among examiners. The JPO will continue to conduct appropriate examinations in accordance with basic examination policies, including the Examination Guidelines for Trademarks, exchange opinions with industrial players and companies, and promote consultations among examiners, and will strive to improve the consistency of judgments among examiners.

4. Details of the survey results

For details of the survey results, see the reports below.

• Report on FY2023 Annual User Satisfaction Surveys on Patent Examination Quality
• Report on FY2023 Annual User Satisfaction Surveys on Design Examination Quality
• Report on FY2023 Annual User Satisfaction Surveys on Trademark Examination Quality

Related Link

• User Satisfaction Surveys on Examination Quality (in Japanese)

Division in Charge

Regarding the User Satisfaction Survey on Patent Examination Quality

Quality Management Office, Administrative Affairs Division, Patent and Design Examination Department (Physics, Optics, Social Infrastructure and Design), Japan Patent Office

Regarding the User Satisfaction Survey on Design Examination Quality

Design Division, Patent and Design Examination Department (Physics, Optics, Social Infrastructure and Design), Japan Patent Office

Regarding the User Satisfaction Survey on Trademark Examination Quality

Trademark Division, Trademark and Customer Relations Department, Japan Patent Office