August [General] Newsletter

USPTO Announces Increase in Annual Number of Priority Examination (Track One) Requests Accepted

On July 8, the USPTO announced that it would increase the number of prioritized examination (Track One) requests it would accept per year. Until now, the number of prioritized examination requests for patent applications that could be accepted per year was limited to 15,000, but from fiscal year 2025, this number will be increased to 20,000 per year.

The USPTO is facing the issue of longer examination periods due in part to a decrease in the number of patent examiners, and as of May 2025, the average first action notice period (FA period) for patent applications was 23.4 months.

By utilizing the prioritized examination system, applicants can aim to obtain rights earlier.

According to the USPTO, in fiscal year 2025, applicants were able to receive a first examination result on average in 1.3 months from the acceptance of their request for prioritized examination, and a final examination result on average in 4.5 months.

The USPTO plans to stop accepting some requests for accelerated examination of patent applications from July 10th, and this prioritized examination system is expected to function as a substitute for that.

The number of applications for priority review in fiscal year 2025 was 10,921 from October 2024 to May 2025.

This increase in the upper limit will continue to apply from fiscal year 2025 onwards unless renewed by a new notice. The USPTO resumed hiring new examiners in June, after a previous freeze, so future trends in examination processing will be closely watched.

EPO Annual Review 2024

The European Patent Office (EPO) has published its 2028 Annual Review, along with a video highlighting the key milestones achieved over the past XNUMX months. The EPO is making good progress in implementing its Strategic Plan XNUMX (SPXNUMX), which is based on five driving elements: People, Technology, High-Quality and Timely Products and Services, Partnerships, and Financial Sustainability.

Record productivity in the patent grant process (PGP) has had a positive impact on the office's financial sustainability, while quality remains at a high level.

Commenting on this year's review, EPO President Antonio Campinos said:

"Demand for European patents remains high and we are constantly improving the accessibility, quality and efficiency of the European patent system to support inventors seeking success in Europe's competitive technology market. We are further integrating AI into our digital tools, simplifying our processes and working closely with our users in Europe and around the world to take our products and services to the next level."

Hosting of International Standardization Forum

The International Standardization Forum at the EXPO 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo will be held on July 2th. The theme is "Designing a Future Society for Life - Safety, Health, Well-being and Standardization" and the forum will be held at the EXPO Salon (Ringside Marketplace West, XNUMXnd floor) at the Osaka-Kansai Expo site. (Co-organized by the Japan Standards Association, supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)

The International Standardization Forum is a landmark event addressing the development and application of advanced technologies in the field of occupational safety and health (OSH). As robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and other transformative technologies rapidly evolve, it is necessary to leverage these innovations responsibly. The Forum will explore how international standardization can effectively integrate these technologies into OSH management systems and align with global initiatives such as Vision Zero.

In an era where AI and robotics are essential, it is important to develop strong international rules to ensure these technologies improve workplace safety and health. Currently, there are limited platforms for discussing how new technologies can shape global OSH standards and their implementation. This will lead the discussion on how to achieve "safety, health, and well-being."

Discussions have already begun with organizations such as the German IFA and DGUV, which have played leading roles in the fields of international standardization and machine and functional safety, on the future direction of collaborative safety, an innovative safety concept. This forum, which brings together experts from various fields from around the world, aims to deepen discussions on the international standardization that will be necessary in the future.

In Japan, demographic challenges of an aging population and declining birth rate have created an urgent need to restructure the occupational safety and health management framework. This unique environment calls for innovative approaches to adapt to the changing workforce landscape. This forum will provide an important platform for in-depth discussion of these topics.

Patent Administration Annual Report 2025 Edition

The Japan Patent Office (JPO) announced the publication of its 2025 Annual Report on Patent Administration on July 7th. According to the 2025 Annual Report, the number of patent applications filed with the Japan Patent Office (JPO) has remained flat since 2020, but increased 2.2% year-on-year to 306,855 in 2024. Furthermore, the number of international applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT international applications) with the JPO as the receiving office remained at a high level, reaching 46,751 in 2024. The number of requests for examination has remained flat, reaching 228,456 in 2024. By application year, the number of patent registrations has remained around 180,000. Furthermore, the ratio of patent registrations to patent applications (patent registration rate) is on the rise. These trends suggest that applicants are becoming more selective in their patent applications, and that companies and other organizations are steadily shifting from quantity to quality in their intellectual property strategies. The number of patent applications from Japan to overseas has remained roughly flat since 2014, but has been on a downward trend since 2020. The number of patent registrations in Japan by foreigners has been on the rise in the United States, Europe, China, and South Korea since 2020, with the United States accounting for 34.6%, Europe for 30.2%, China for 16.2%, and South Korea for 11.7%.

Newsletter translated into English

USPTO Announces Increase in Annual Limit for Track One Prioritized Examination Requests

On July 8, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced an increase in the annual acceptance limit for Track One Prioritized Examination requests. Previously capped at 15,000 requests per year, this limit will be raised to 20,000 requests per year starting in fiscal year 2025.

The USPTO has been facing challenges due to a decline in the number of patent examiners, which has contributed to prolonged examination periods. As of May 2025, the average time to receive a first office action (FA period) for applications was 23.4 months.

The use of the Prioritized Examination system allows applicants to expedite the patenting process. According to the USPTO, in fiscal year 2025, applicants utilizing the Track One system received first office actions within an average of 1.3 months from the acceptance of their request and final decisions within an average of 4.5 months.

The USPTO is planning a partial suspension of accelerated examination requests for patent applications starting July 10, and the Track One Prioritized Examination system is expected to function as an alternative to the suspended options. From October 2024 to May 2025, a total of 10,921 Track One requests were submitted.

This increased limit will remain in effect beyond fiscal year 2025 until further notice. It is also worth noting that the USPTO resumed hiring new examiners in June after a freeze on recruitment, and the impact of this development on examination processing trends will be closely watched.

EPO Annual Review 2024

The European Patent Office (EPO) published its Annual Review 2024, accompanied by a video presentation highlighting key milestones achieved over the past 12 months. Significant progress has been made in the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2028 (SP2028), which is structured around five core drivers: “People”, “Technologies”, “High-Quality, Timely Products and Services”, “Partnerships”, and “Financial Sustainability”. The patent granting process (PGP) achieved record-high productivity this year, positively impacting the financial sustainability of the office while maintaining consistently high levels of quality.

Commenting on this year's review, EPO President António Campinos stated:

“Demand for European patents remains high, as we continuously improve the accessibility, quality and efficiency of the European patent system, supporting inventors everywhere who want to thrive in Europe's competitive technology market. We are taking our products and services to the next level, including by further integrating AI into our digital tools and simplifying our processes in close collaboration with users throughout Europe and around the world.”

International Standardization Forum to be Held

The EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai International Standardization Forum will take place on July 16. The theme of the forum is “Designing Future Society for Our Lives: Safety, Health, Well-being, and Standardization,” and it will be held at the EXPO Salon (Ringside Marketplace, West 2nd Floor) on the Osaka, Kansai Expo grounds. The event is co-hosted by the Japanese Standards Association and supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.

The International Standardization Forum serves as a groundbreaking event aimed at addressing the development and application of advanced technologies in the field of occupational safety and health (OSH). With rapid advancements in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and other transformative technologies, it is crucial to harness these innovations responsibly. This forum will explore how international standardization can effectively integrate these technologies into OSH management systems and align them with global initiatives such as Vision Zero.

In an era where AI and robotics are indispensable, establishing robust international rules to leverage these technologies for improving workplace safety and health is critical. Currently, there are limited platforms for discussing how these emerging technologies can shape global OSH standards and their implementation. The forum will lead discussions on achieving “safety, health, and well-being” through innovative approaches and international collaboration.

Discussions have already begun on the future direction of cooperative safety concepts and collaboration with leading organizations in international standardization and machine and functional safety, such as Germany's Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (IFA) and the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV). This forum, which brings together experts from a wide range of fields across the globe, aims to deepen discussions on the international standards necessary for the future.

In Japan, demographic challenges such as an aging population and declining birthrate have made the restructuring of occupational safety and health management frameworks an urgent priority. In this unique environment, innovative approaches are required to address the evolving nature of the workforce. This forum will provide a vital platform for in-depth discussions on these themes.

Annual Report on Patent Administration 2025 Edition

On July 7, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) announced the publication of the 2025 Edition of its Annual Report on Patent Administration.

According to the report, the number of patent applications filed with the JPO has remained stable since 2020. However, in 2024, the total rose by 2.2% year-on-year, reaching 306,855 applications. Furthermore, the number of international applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) with the JPO as the receiving office was 46,751 in 2024, maintaining a consistently high level. Requests for examination have also remained stable, with 228,456 requests filed in 2024.

In terms of patent registrations by application year, the number of registered patents has remained around 180,000 annually. The ratio of patent registrations to patent applications (the patent registration rate) has shown an increasing trend. These patterns suggest that applicants are becoming more selective in their patent filings and that companies and other entities are steadily shifting their intellectual property strategies from emphasizing quantity to prioritizing quality.

The number of patent applications filed overseas by Japanese applicants, which had previously remained mostly flat since 2014, has shown a declining trend since 2020. offline, the number of patents registered in Japan by foreign applicants has been increasing since 2020, particularly from the United States, Europe, China, and South Korea. Among these, the United States accounted for 34.6% of foreign registrations, followed by Europe at 30.2%, China at 16.2%, and South Korea at 11.7%.