July [General] Newsletter

Regarding applications containing multiple claims

In Japan, since April 2022, multiple claims are not permitted in patent applications and utility model registration applications.

On June 8, 2026, it was announced that, in fiscal year 2025, the proportion of patent applications containing multiple claims within a single patent application was approximately 2.6%, and the proportion of utility model registration applications containing multiple claims within a single utility model registration application was approximately 1.5%. It should be noted that the above proportions are provisional and calculated assuming that the filing dates of divisional applications, etc., whose original filing dates were before the effective date, are all retroactively applied to the effective date.

The aforementioned percentage in patent applications was approximately 65% ​​before the restrictions on multiple claims came into effect in April 2022, and was approximately 5% immediately after the restrictions came into effect. Similarly, the aforementioned percentage in utility model registration applications was approximately 25% before the restrictions on multiple claims came into effect in April 2022, and was approximately 3% one year after the restrictions came into effect.

Therefore, the aforementioned percentage is on a downward trend and is expected to become almost 0% in the future.

Furthermore, on June 8, 2026, the Japan Patent Office website issued the following points to note regarding utility model registration applications containing multiple claims.

"If a utility model registration application contains multiple claims, it will violate the requirements (basic requirements) stipulated in Article 6-2 of the Utility Model Act, and an order for correction will be issued. If the correction is not made within the period specified in the correction order, the application will be rejected. Therefore, please be careful to avoid including multiple claims in utility model registration applications from the time of filing."

Furthermore, in the examination of patent applications, for multiple claims, substantive requirements other than those specified in the ministerial ordinance relating to the multiple claims are not examined, and a notice of rejection is issued for violation of said ministerial ordinance requirements. In addition, if the applicant responds to the aforementioned reason for rejection with an amendment that resolves the multiple claims, and the invention claimed after the amendment has other grounds for rejection, the final ground for rejection will be issued, and the scope of amendments that can be made may be limited.

Therefore, it is considered necessary to avoid including multiple claims in Japanese patent applications and utility model registration applications. Accordingly, it is important to note that applications should not include multiple claims at the time of filing, and that applications that include multiple claims at the time of filing, such as national phase applications of PCT applications that include multiple claims, should be amended to resolve the multiple claims.

The Bahamas' membership in the PCT

The Bahamas has deposited its instrument of accession to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and the treaty will enter into force on August 19, 2026. As a result, the Bahamas will become the 159th member state of the PCT from August 19, 2026.　

Therefore, from August 19, 2026 onwards, it will be possible to enter the national phase of a PCT application in the Bahamas.

Furthermore, while the number of patent applications in the Bahamas is currently only a few per year, after joining the PCT, the number of applications may increase due to national phase entry based on PCT applications filed by foreigners (foreign companies). In addition, this may lead to an increase in the number of foreign companies entering the Bahamas market.

The 19th Meeting of the Directors of the Five Major Patent Offices of Japan, the United States, Europe, China, and South Korea

On June 12, 2026, the 19th Meeting of the Directors of the Five Major Patent Offices (the Five Offices Meeting) was held in Tokyo, hosted by the Japan Patent Office, among the five major patent offices (the five offices) of Japan, the United States, Europe, China, and South Korea.

The Five Agency Heads Meeting is a meeting that has been held continuously since 2007. It is a meeting to approve the results of several working groups that are examining issues such as the mutual use of review results among member states, simplification of procedures, and improvement of the quality of reviews, and to discuss the future initiatives of the Five Agency at a high level.

The results of the 19th meeting of the heads of the five government agencies were as follows (1) to (3):

(1) Work roadmap for cooperation in the fields of new technologies and AI
　The progress of the work roadmap for cooperation in the field of new technologies and AI, which was formulated at the 2021 meeting of the heads of the five agencies, was reviewed. In addition, the heads of the five agencies agreed on a new direction for cooperation among the five agencies in the field of AI, and agreed to establish a working group to discuss cooperation in the field of AI and to proceed with practical-level studies.

(2) Improvement of the cooperation framework among the five agencies
　The five agencies agreed to work towards improving the framework of the five-agency structure to facilitate more efficient cooperation, addressing issues such as overlapping roles, cumbersome coordination, reduced procedures, and the efficient way meetings are held, which are currently being addressed among the five agencies.

(3) The role of the five agencies in the age of AI
　Following discussions on the roles that the five agencies should play in the age of AI, the five agencies shared an understanding of the importance of responsible use of AI and cooperation among them.

Therefore, in the future, it is expected that the five countries mentioned above will expedite the review process, for example, in the field of AI, by enabling the mutual use of review results between countries, simplifying procedures, and improving the quality of reviews.

Furthermore, a PPH 20th Anniversary Forum was held as a side event of the 19th Meeting of the Heads of the Five Offices. In addition to the five offices mentioned above, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), user groups, and the Intellectual Property Office of Canada (CIPO) and the Intellectual Property Office of the United Kingdom (UKIPO) also participated in the forum. The forum reviewed the past and achievements of the PPH and exchanged views on its future improvement and development.

Newsletter translated into English

Applications Containing Multi-Multi Claims

In Japan, since April 2022, multi-multi claims have not been allowed in patent applications and utility model registration applications.

On June 8, 2026, it was announced that in fiscal year 2025, the ratio of patent applications containing multi-multi claims to all patent applications was approximately 2.6%, and the ratio of utility model registration applications containing multi-multi claims to all utility model registration applications was approximately 1.5%. These are provisional ratios calculated on the assumption that in the case of divisional applications, etc. for which the filing date of the original application was before the enforcement date, all filing dates are retroactive to before the enforcement date.

The ratio for patent applications was approximately 65% ​​before the restriction on multi-multi claims began in April 2022, and was approximately 5% immediately after the restriction began. In addition, the ratio for utility model registration applications was approximately 25% before the restriction on multi-multi claims began in April 2022, and was approximately 3% one year after the restriction began.

Therefore, these ratios are on a downward trend and are expected to become almost 0% in the future.

In addition, on June 8, 2026, the following cautionary note regarding utility model registration applications containing multi-multi claims was posted on the JPO website.

“If a utility model registration application contains multi-multi claims, it will violate the requirements (basic requirements) prescribed in Article 6-2 of the Utility Model Act, and an order for amendment will be issued. If no amendment is made within the period specified in the order for amendment, the application will be dismissed. Therefore, please be particularly careful to ensure that applications for utility model registration do not contain multi-multi claims from the time of filing.”

Furthermore, in the examination of patent applications, in the case of multi-multi claims, substantive requirements other than the requirements regarding the ministerial ordinance multi-multi claims are not examined, and a notification of reasons for refusal based on the violation of the requirements under the ministerial ordinance is issued. a risk that the scope within which amendments can be made will be restricted.

Therefore, in Japanese patent applications and utility model registration applications, it is considered necessary to avoid including multi-multi claims. Accordingly, attention should be paid to avoiding inclusion of multi-multi claims at the time of filing, and, for example, eliminating multi-multi claims by voluntary amendment in applications that contain multi-multiple claims at the time of filing, such as national phase entry applications of PCT applications containing multi-multi claims.

Accession of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to PCT

The Commonwealth of The Bahamas has deposited its instrument of access to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and the Treaty will enter into force on August 19, 2026. Thus, from August 19, 2026, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas will become the 159th contracting state of the PCT.

Therefore, on or after August 19, 2026, it will be possible to enter the national phase in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas on the basis of a PCT application.

Currently, the number of patent applications in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas is a handful per year, but after its accession to the PCT, the number of applications may increase due to national phase entries based on PCT applications having foreigners (foreign companies) as applicants. Furthermore, along with this, there is a possibility that foreign companies will expand further into the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

19th IP5 Heads of Office Meeting

On June 12, 2026, the 19th IP5 Heads of Office Meeting between the five largest patent offices (IP5) – Japan, the United States, Europe, China, and South Korea – hosted in Tokyo by the Japan Patent Office (JPO).

The IP5 Heads of Office Meeting has been held continuously since 2007, and is a meeting to approve the outcomes of multiple working groups examining issues such as the mutual use of examination results among countries, the simplification of procedures, and the improvement of examination quality, and to discuss at a high level the future initiatives of the IP5.

The results of the 19th IP5 Heads of Office Meeting are outlined in (1) to (3) below.

(1) Cooperation Roadmap Regarding New Emerging Technologies and Artificial Intelligence
 The progress of the Cooperation Roadmap for New Emerging Technologies and Artificial Intelligence formulated at the IP5 Heads of Office Meeting in 2021 was confirmed. In addition, the IP5 Heads of Office agreed on a new direction for cooperation among the IP5 in the AI ​​field. They agreed to launch a working group to discuss cooperation in the AI ​​field and proceed with discussions at the working level in the future.

(2) Improvement of the IP5 Cooperation Framework
 It was agreed to proceed with the improvement of the IP5 framework that is currently being carried out among the five offices toward more efficient cooperation regarding the duplication of roles of working groups, complicated coordination, reduction of procedures, and the way meetings are held.

(3) Role of the IP5 in the AI ​​Era
 As a result of discussions on the role that the IP5 should play in the AI ​​era, a common understanding was shared among the five offices regarding the responsible use of AI and the importance of cooperation among the IP5.

Therefore, in the future it is expected that the five countries will, for example in the field of AI, promote increased speed of examinations by improving the mutual use of examination results between countries, simplifying procedures, and enhancing examination quality.

As a side event of the 19th IP5 Heads of Office Meeting, the PPH 20th Anniversary Forum was held. Apart from the IP5, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), user groups, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), and the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) also participated in the forum. In addition, at the forum, while looking back on the history and achievements of the PPH, opinions were exchanged toward the future improvement and development of the PPH.