JPO Status Report 2026

JPO Status Report 2026

  • 投稿カテゴリー:News

The Japan Patent Office (JPO) has issued the “Status Report 2026,” which presents statistical data and policy outcomes for 2025. We have identified a selection of topics related to patents that we believe will be of interest to our international client base.

  1. Patent Applications Filed in Japan;
  2. PCT Japanese National Phase Entries; and
  3. Examination Speed in Japan.

1. Patent Applications Filed in Japan

(1) Trends in the Numbers of Japanese Patent Applications

The number of patent applications filed with the Japan Patent Office decreased in 2020 due to the Coronavirus outbreak and remained stable until 2022. It increased slightly until 2024, and in 2025, it increased drastically to 358,317, which shows the record high in the past decade.

Source: “JPO Status Report 2026”, Japan Patent Office | https://www.jpo.go.jp/e/resources/report/statusreport/2026/index.html

(2) Trends in Countries/Regions of Applicants

With the exception of domestic applicants, the following ranking was determined: The United States ranks first, followed by China, South Korea, Germany, and Switzerland. A comparison of the rankings from 2024 to the present reveals that there have been changes in the rankings of Taiwan and the Netherlands. All other rankings remain unchanged.

Source: “JPO Status Report 2026”, Japan Patent Office | https://www.jpo.go.jp/e/resources/report/statusreport/2026/index.html

 

2. Recent Trends in the Number of PCT National Phase Applications

The number of Japanese national phase applications based on PCT international applications (mostly filed by overseas applicants) has been showing a slight decrease since 2019.

Source: “JPO Status Report 2026”, Japan Patent Office | https://www.jpo.go.jp/e/resources/report/statusreport/2026/index.html

 

3. Examination Speed

The JPO is committed to accelerating its patent examination procedures, and in 2024, it achieved the following average pendency times from the filing of requests for examination, which are even shorter than in 2023 (10.0 months to first action and 14.7 months to final action):

  • 9.1 months to First Action; and
  • 13.0 months to Final Action.

Source: “JPO Status Report 2026”, Japan Patent Office | https://www.jpo.go.jp/e/resources/report/statusreport/2026/index.html

We believe that the examination speed at the JPO remains the fastest among the IP5.

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.

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