Practice Tips for foreign applicants regarding Annuity, Registration, Renewal
* N is the number of claims and the currency is Japanese Yen
1) Registration Fee for a granted patent :
Registration Fee (initial 3 annuities) (2,100 + 200 x N) x 3
At the time of the issuance of the Decision of Grant, the number of claims cannot be simply reduced. The registration fee must be paid at once for three years for all the claims. After registration, however, it is possible to cancel some of the patented claims. As you see below, the official maintenance fees increase as the number of claims N increases. Therefore, it may be worthwhile to reducing the fees by cancelling some claims.
2) Annuities (renewals/maintenance fees):
(each year from 4th to 6th year) 6,400 + 500 x N
(each year from 7th to 9th year) 19,300 + 1,500 x N
(each year from 10th year -) 55,400 + 4,300 x N
3) Extension of the deadline for payment:
It is possible to file a request for 30 days extension of the term for paying the first three annuities.
It is also possible to extend payment of the annuity up to 6 months after the due date with payment of a surcharge.
1) Addition of Inventor:
Please note that it is only before the registration of a patent that the addition of an inventor can be made.
We will provide you with a Declaration form to formally record the inventorship of an application in Japan. Please have the form duly executed by all of the inventors and return the ORIGINAL to us.
2) Government Fee for Assignment Recordal:
Please note that the government fee for an Assignment recordal will increase from JPY 4,200 to JPY 15,000 once the first three annuities are paid. Therefore, we ask our clients to execute the Assignment form and the Power of Attorney and return them to us well before the due date of the payment of the first three annuities when recording the Assignment.
3) Assignment Form:
In order to record assignment of an application in Japan (from A to B), it is necessary to file an Original Assignment with the JPO. If it is impossible to have the original Assignment, we will prepare a new simple Assignment Form to be executed by a representative of A and a General Power of Attorney Form to be executed by B. Please have these forms duly executed and return the Original copies to us.