Effective due date management is crucial for any intellectual property law firm. It is especially so when it comes to dealing with the Japan Patent Office (JPO). JPO (Japan Patent Office) is very strict on deadlines. If you missed the deadline such as Substantive Examination Request or Translation Submission, it is nearly impossible to recover.
Several US companies who missed the deadline of PCT translation submission (2 months after National Phase Entry, sued JPO for recovery, with very limited success.
While recent law changes will significantly loosen this rule, effective due date management is still critical. These changes will be effective from Apr-1-2023, and after that, most missed deadlines (unless intentional) can be recovered with a surcharge (about 2,000USD). This is good news, but strict due date management on our end is still important.
We can offer reliable due date management with our custom case management system, ensuring that deadlines are not missed and your intellectual property is protected.