Japan: Act on the Partial Revision of the Patent Act and Other Acts (Act No. 55 of July 10, 2015)

April 1, 2016

Japan: The Act on the Partial Revision of the Patent Act and Other Acts (Act No. 55 of July 10, 2015) came into force on April 1, 2016. It amends the Patent Act, the Trademark Act, the Design Act and the Act on International Applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty.

The Act inter alia: (i) reviews the employee invention system by clarifying the elements to be considered for the "appropriate remuneration" of employees; (ii) revises the fee schedule for patents, trademarks and international searches concerning international applications; and (iii) establishes provisions regarding the Patent Law Treaty and the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks to implement the new procedures introduced along with Japan's accession to the Treaties, which came into force on June 11, 2016.