January issue [General] Newsletter

New Year Greetings

Happy New Year.

Last year, while Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip in Palestine came to an end, the world's politics and economy were faced with a chaotic and difficult period in which the selfish behavior of "great powers" was rampant. This included the intensification of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the intensification of international friction between China and Japan over the Taiwan issue, and the centralization of power in the United States as a result of President Trump's high tariffs and US First policy. I cannot help but hope for the arrival of "world peace" as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, last year was also a "glorious year" for our firm, with steady progress in business and prosperity and busyness throughout the year. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all our clients and all our staff. Thank you very much. We have returned to our roots, and are deeply grateful for the kindness of our clients, and we are determined to continue striving to provide the utmost satisfaction and profits to our clients. We hope that you will continue to provide us with your guidance and kindness this year as well.

I sincerely hope that you all have a bright and soaring New Year and that you and your families will have a good year filled with good health and happiness.

Chairman: Kenzo Hara

—–

I wish you all the best in the new year.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your generous support throughout the past year.

This year marks the significant milestone of our 50th anniversary. Our steady progress as a group of intellectual property experts over the past half century is the fruit of the warm support of our clients and the tireless efforts of each and every member of our staff. I would like to express my sincere gratitude once again.

Recent social changes have been so intense that they could be described as nonlinear. It is precisely in these uncertain times that we must wisely distinguish between what needs to be changed and what needs to be protected. Our approach, cultivated over our 50-year history, to working alongside our clients and building trust is an asset that must never be shaken, no matter how times change. While carefully passing on this timeless foundation, we intend to continue to create unique value with flexible thinking that is not bound by existing frameworks.

This year will be the year in which we take a strong first step towards the next 50 years. We will work together as one to deliver value that exceeds your expectations while maintaining our unique presence in the field of intellectual property.

We look forward to your continued support this year and wish you all good health and prosperity.

Director Kiyoshi Fukui

Practical training for patent examiners from the Indonesian Intellectual Property Office and the Thai Intellectual Property Office

For a total of four days from November 17 to 20, 2025, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) conducted training for patent examiners from the Indonesian Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) on patent examination practices in the polymer and telecommunications fields.

The training consisted of face-to-face case studies with instructors, using actual cases from the polymer and telecommunications fields to teach participants about search techniques and criteria for determining novelty and inventive step that are unique to each technical field.

The trainees gave the following impressions about the training:
"The instructor answered my questions carefully and it was very helpful in deepening my knowledge of patent examination in the polymer field."
"The lecture materials were well prepared and there was interactive communication during the lecture. I gained new insights into patent prosecution of complex cases in the field of telecommunications."

For a total of five days from November 25 to December 1, 2025, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) conducted practical training on patent examination practices for new patent examiners at the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) of Thailand. Additionally, for a total of three days from November 25 to 27, 2025, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) conducted chemical and engineering search training for patent examiners at the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP). Furthermore, for a total of two days from November 27 and December 1, 2025, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) conducted management training for patent examiners at the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP).

The practical training and search training were conducted in an on-the-job format using case studies with face-to-face instructors, and participants learned about prior art search methods and criteria for determining novelty and inventive step in patent examination. The management training covered quality control and business management methods at the JPO.

The trainees gave the following impressions about the training:
"By doing the case study, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the concepts taught in the lectures."
"I was able to understand the difficult lecture thanks to the instructor's thorough explanations and question-answering."

It is expected that the JPO will continue to provide training to patent examiners from developing countries, such as the DGIP and DIP, in the future. This could potentially bring about the following benefits for Japanese companies seeking to obtain patents in developing countries:

• By spreading the JPO's examination methods among patent examiners in developing countries, it will be possible to improve the credibility of JPO examinations and increase the likelihood that inventions patented at the JPO will be patented in developing countries. This will improve predictability for Japanese companies when acquiring rights in developing countries, enabling them to acquire rights more smoothly.
• Improving the examination capabilities of examiners in developing countries and speeding up examinations in those countries will enable Japanese companies to quickly obtain rights in those countries.

Examiner consultation with the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM)

The Japan Patent Office (JPO) held an examiner consultation with the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM) for a total of five days from November 17th to 21st, 2025. The examiner consultation is held with the aim of fostering trust and deepening mutual understanding through discussions with examiners from overseas intellectual property offices about each other's prior art document search methods and examination practices, and promoting the mutual use of prior art search results and examination results.

The JPO and OEPM previously held examiner consultations between 2011 and 2013, and this was the first such consultation since 2013, and the first in which OEPM examiners were invited to the JPO.

Thirteen patent examiners from the JPO and six from the OEPM participated in this examiner consultation, and they discussed joint patent applications in five technical fields (electric motor control, thermal equipment, medical devices, genetic engineering, and cell engineering). They also exchanged information on prior art document search methods and the operation of examination guidelines. They also exchanged views on user-friendly measures and initiatives utilizing AI.

About the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) Council of Ministers

The 20th African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) Ministerial Council was held in Accra, the capital of Ghana, from November 21 to 22, 2025. The ARIPO Ministerial Council is ARIPO's highest decision-making body, attended by the intellectual property ministers of ARIPO member states.

As a cooperative partner of ARIPO, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) is invited to attend the ARIPO Ministerial Council every year, and JPO Deputy Patent Engineer Yasuda participated in the 20th ARIPO Ministerial Council.

At the opening ceremony, Patent Commissioner Yasuda stated his view that innovation and the development of an intellectual property system that supports it are important for Africa's sustainable development, and announced that Japan will continue to work with ARIPO to strengthen the foundations of the intellectual property rights system in Africa.

Additionally, on the occasion of its participation in the Ministerial Council, the JPO held a bilateral meeting with the ARIPO, during which it confirmed that it would continue to promote cooperation with African countries in the field of intellectual property through support utilizing the JPO's voluntary contribution to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) under the "Funds-in-Trust Japan Industrial Property Global" program, as well as through invitational training programs.

The JPO will continue to cooperate with the ARIPO in the field of intellectual property, and the close relationship between the two parties is expected to continue.

Newsletter translated into English

New Year's greetings

I would like to wish you a very happy New Year.

This past year saw the near conclusion of Israel's offensive in the Palestinian Gaza Strip. We also witnessed the intensification of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the escalation of international tensions between China and Japan over the Taiwan issue, and the increasing centralization of the United States under President Trump's high-tariff and “America First” policies. The world's political and economic landscapes are facing an uncertain and challenging era, in which self-serving actions of the so-called “great powers” ​​are pervasive. We cannot help but hope that “world peace” will arrive as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, our firm, much like the previous year, experienced steady growth and enjoyed a “brilliant year” marked throughout by prosperity and busyness. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all our clients and every member of our firm. Thank you sincerely. Remembering our humble beginnings, we remain ever grateful for our clients' continued patronage, and with renewed determination, we shall continue sriving to maximize all our clients' satisfaction and benefit. We would be most grateful for your continued guidance and warm support throughout this year as well.

I wish you and your families a wonderful New Year and hope that your year is filled with good health and great happiness.

Kenzo Hara
Executive Chairman

—–

I would like to extend my sincerest greetings for the New Year.
We are deeply grateful for your support and kindness throughout the past year.

This year marks a major milestone for our firm, as we will reach the fiftieth anniversary of our founding. It is entirely thanks to the generous support of our clients and the continued dedication of each member of our staff that we have been able to advance steadily as a team of IP professionals over the past half-century. Once again, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude.

Recent changes in the social climate have been so intense as to be unpredictable. Precisely because we live in such an uncertain era, it is essential that we wisely distinguish between “what must be changed” and “what must be steadfastly preserved”. Over fifty years we have cultivated an ethos that is guided by the principle of walking alongside our clients and building relationships of trust. This ethos is an invaluable asset that must never be allowed to waver, regardless of how the times may change. While cherishing and carrying forward this universal foundation, we will continue to be unconstrained by existing conventions and use a flexible approach to create unique value.

This year represents the first decisive step toward the next half-century. United as one, we will project a distinctive presence in the field of intellectual property and strive to deliver value that exceeds your expectations.

I sincerely ask for your continued support this year, and extend my heartfelt wishes for your health and further prosperity.

Fukui Kiyoshi
Director General

Examination Practice Training for Examiners of Directorate General of Intellectual Property of Indonesia and Department of Intellectual Property of Thailand

Over a period of four days from November 17 to 20, 2025, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) conducted training on patent examination practices in the polymer and telecommunication fields for patent examiners belonging to the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) of Indonesia.

This training was conducted in a face‑to‑face format through case studies with instructors, using actual cases in the polymer and telecommunications fields to study search methods and criteria for novelty and inventive step specific to each technical field.

Participants gave their impressions of the training, which included the following:
– “The instructor responded in detail to questions, which was very helpful in deepening my understanding of patent examination in the polymer field.”
– “The lecture materials were thoroughly prepared, and interactive communication was encouraged during the sessions. I gained new insights for conducting patent examinations on complex cases in the telecommunications field.”

Over a period of five days from November 25 to December 1, 2025, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) also conducted a training program on patent examination practices for new patent examiners belonging to the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) of Thailand. the JPO conducted two days of management training for DIP patent examiners.

The mentioned examination practice training and search training were conducted in an on-the-job training (OJT) format through face-to-face sessions with instructors, enabling participants to learn prior art search techniques and criteria for assessing novelty and inventive step in patent examination. The management training focused on learning JPO's quality management and operational management methods.

Participants gave their impressions of the training, which included the following:
– “Through case studies, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the concepts presented in the lectures.”
– “Thanks to the instructor's clear explanations and responses to questions, I was able to comprehend lectures that were otherwise difficult to understand.”

It is expected that training programs like these provided by the JPO to patent examiners from offices in developing countries such as DGIP and DIP will continue to be held in the future. Such initiatives are anticipated to provide several advantages to Japanese companies seeking to obtain patents in developing countries, such as the following:

• By disseminating JPO's examination methods to patent examiners in developing countries, the credibility of examinations conducted by the JPO can be enhanced, increasing the likelihood that inventions patented by the JPO will also be patented in developing countries. This, in turn, may improve predictability for Japanese companies seeking to obtain rights abroad and facilitate smoother acquisition of such rights.
• By strengthening the examination capabilities of examiners in developing countries and improving the speed of examinations, Japanese companies will be able to secure rights promptly in those jurisdictions.

Examiner Exchange with Spanish Patent and Trademark Office

Over a period of five days from November 17 to 21, 2025, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) held an examiner exchange with the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM). The examiner exchange aims to build trust and deepen mutual understanding through discussions with examiners from foreign intellectual property offices on each other's search methods for prior art documents and examination practices, and to promote the mutual utilization of art search results and examination outcomes.

The JPO and OEPM previously conducted examiner exchanges between 2011 and 2013. This year's consultation was the first such meeting since 2013 and notably, the first time the consultation was held in a format in which OEPM examiners were received at the JPO.

In this exchange, 13 patent examiners from the JPO and 6 patent examiners from the OEPM participated. Discussions covered patent applications common to both offices across the five technical fields of Dynamo-Electronic Machines and Control, Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineering, Medical Devices, Genetic Engineering, and Cell Engineering. At the same time, information was exchanged on search methods for art documents and the application of examination standards prior. Furthermore, opinions were also exchanged on user-oriented initiatives and efforts Utilizing AI.

Council of Ministers of African Regional Intellectual Property Organization

From November 21 to 22, 2025, the 20th Session of the Council of Ministers of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) was held in Accra, the capital city of Ghana. The ARIPO Council of Ministers is ARIPO's supreme decision‑making body, attended by ministers responsible for intellectual property from ARIPO member states.

As a cooperation partner of ARIPO, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) is invited to this Council of Ministers every year. At the 20th Session of the ARIPO Council of Ministers, the JPO was represented by Deputy Commissioner Yasuda.

At the opening ceremony, Deputy Commissioner Yasuda expressed his opinion that innovation and establishing an intellectual property system that supports it are vital for the sustainable development of Africa. Mr. Yasuda also stated the JPO's continued commitment to collaborating with ARIPO to further strengthen the foundation of intellectual property systems across Africa.

Taking the opportunity of attending the Council of Ministers, the JPO also held a bilateral meeting with ARIPO. During this meeting, the JPO confirmed its intention to cooperate with African countries in the field of intellectual property through initiatives such as support using the voluntary contribution “Funds‑in‑Trust Japan Industrial Property Global” provided by the JPO to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), as well as through invitation‑based training programs.

The JPO's cooperation with ARIPO in the field of intellectual property is expected to continue together with the strong relationship between the two organizations.