Revision of the Time Limit for Submitting a Request for Examination
(Sept., 2001; Japan Patent Office)

The time limit for submitting a request for examination for a patent application is to be changed as of October 1, 2001 from "within seven years" from the filing date to "within three years" from the filing date (see Section 48ter of the Japanese Patent Law).

Notes

1) The above revised time limit is to be applied for patent applications filed on or after October 1, 2001.

2) To the patent applications filed on or before September 30, 2001, the time limit of seven years from the filing date is to be applied.

3) With regard to divisional or conversion applications, the time limit of seven years from the filing date of the original application is to be applied if the original application is filed on or before September 30, 2001.

4) To applications claiming an internal priority based on the previous domestic application, the time limit of three years from the filing date of the patent application claiming an internal priority is to be applied if the application claiming internal priority is filed on or after October 1, 2001.

5) To patent applications claiming a priority filed with the Japan under the Paris Convention, the time limit of three years from the filing date with the Japan Patent Office (JPO), not from the priority date, is to be applied if the application claiming a priority is filed on or after October 1, 2001.

6) To the international applications that are deemed as being filed with the JPO on the same day with the international filing date under Section 184ter of the Japanese Patent Law on or after October 1, 2001, the time limit of three years from the filing date is to be applied.