The Japan Patent Office (JPO) concurred with the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) that the two Offices would launch a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Program on July 1, as a result of the meeting between the heads of the two Offices held in Singapore on June 16, 2009.
The JPO has already started PPH programs with eight Patent Offices in the world, and these Offices including the JPO receive, in total, around 64% of worldwide patent filings.
IPOS, with which the present PPH arrangement has been concluded, is the first PPH partner of the JPO in the Southeast Asian region.
This is a milestone in efforts to develop the PPH network, which contributes to the more expeditious and adequate acquisition of rights for inventions of business entities in participating countries.
