Patent/Design/Trademark, Japan: Action Plan for Utilization of AI Tech at the Japan Patent Office
On May 30, 2022, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) announced its “Action Plan for Utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology (FY2022-2026 edition)”, and has continued to investigate the possibilities for utilizing AI tech in its operations (Source 1). The utilization of AI tech at the JPO is also mentioned in the Intellectual Property Strategic Program 2024 and the like (Source 2).
The revised FY2025 edition of the action plan that was drawn up as a result of investigations to date is as follows.
As can be seen from the chart above, technological verification concerning AI utilization is being performed at the JPO, and some operations are also entering the implementation phase. Applicants seeking IP rights in Japan probably also need to consider their strategy in line with the JPO’s AI utilization.
Sources
- JPO, “Efforts for Utilization of AI Technology” (Japanese) – “Action Plan for Utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology (FY2022-2026 edition)”
- Prime Minister’s Office, “Intellectual Property Strategic Program 2024” (PDF)
- JPO, “Revised FY2025 Edition of the Action Plan for Utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology” (Japanese)
Etsuko NAGANO