The JPO and the Directorate General of Intellectual Property Rights (DGIP) started the PPH pilot program from June 1, 2013, and as of June 1, 2019, the JPO and the DGIP extended the period of the pilot program for another three years.
Under the current (revised) rule, a request for the PPH before the DGIP may be filed only after the lapse of a period for filing an opposition (third party submission) (6 months after the publication of a patent application). Further, it is now required to pay additional fees for the PPH request before the DGIP.