Effect on Patent Applications in Japan due to Coronavirus

The Japan Patent Office (JPO) recently set up advisory panels and issued a statement about the effect on the patent applications due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

According to the JPO’s report, the number of Japanese patent applications in each month (January through May) drops compared with the previous year. In particular, it drops 11.4% in April and 10% in May.

As to the number of requests for examination in each month (through January through May), it drops 16.2% in April and 11.8% in May.

The JPO forecasts the similar trends at least through June, that means, both the large enterprises as well as medium and small sized enterprises will experience rapid declines in business performances between March and June. They expect some turnaround for large companies after September, but still downturn for medium and small sized enterprises.

Meanwhile, according to the JPO’s report, they see a trend toward the recovery of the number of patent applications in parallel with the reduction of the number of newly infected patients not only in Japan (in May) but also in the US (in May), China (in April and May) and in Korea (in April).

This is still a tough situation, but we hope things get better soon.  If you consider getting permission from the JPO for the late filing on the basis of Coronavirus, please contact us at info@allegropat.com and we would be happy to be of service to you.

Source: https://www.jpo.go.jp/resources/shingikai/sangyo-kouzou/shousai/chizai_bunkakai/document/13-shiryou/04.pdf (Japanese only)