The Japan Patent Office (JPO) has released its “Annual Report 2026,” which discusses details about recent Japanese intellectual property trends. We have identified a selection of topics related to patents that we believe will be of interest to our international client base and that were not discussed in the previous JPO’s Status Report.
- Differences between the “Status Report” and the “Annual Report”;
- Trends in Patent Grant Rate in Japan; and
- Changes in Examination Speed in Japan.
1. Differences between the “Status Report” and the “Annual Report”
Firstly, we would like to discuss the differences between the “Status Report” and the “Annual Report”. Both reports are issued by the JPO. We have previously reported on the “Status Report”, and this time, we have selected some topics from the “Annual Report” that were not discussed in the “Status Report”.
(1) Timing and Timeliness of Issuance
- Status Report: Published on an annual basis around March. This report is intended to provide a concise overview of the latest statistical data and policy outcomes.
- Annual Report: Published on an annual basis around July. This is the official annual report, which includes detailed trends and initiatives from the past year.
(2) Concept and Scope
- Status Report: This report focuses on the latest key statistical information and policy outcomes, and is structured with a view toward disseminating information both domestically and internationally.
- Annual Report: This report provides detailed explanations of a deeper and broader range of topics, including domestic and international trends in intellectual property, the JPO’s policies, and the intellectual property activities of companies and other entities.
2. Trends in Patent Grant Rate in Japan
When viewed by fiscal year, the patent grant rate has remained relatively stable; however, the rate for fiscal year 2025 stands at 76.5%, marking the highest grant rate in the past eight years.
The patent grant rate is calculated by dividing the number of granted patents by the sum of granted, rejected, withdrawn, and abandoned patents, excluding those from the preliminary examination and trial stages.
3. Changes in Examination Speed
The JPO has set a target for fiscal year 2024 and beyond to maintain the time to grant (Average Time to Grant) for patents at an average of 14 months or less. This target will be achieved by fiscal year 2033, with a result of 13.2 months in fiscal year 2025. Furthermore, the average time to first examination notice (Average FA Period) was 9.4 months.
Source: “JPO Annual Report 2026”, Japan Patent Office |https://www.jpo.go.jp/resources/report/nenji/2026/index.html
We will keep you informed of any developments regarding the patent situations in Japan. Should you wish to inquire about statistical data regarding a particular subject, please submit your request and we will furnish you with the requested data on an individual basis.
