TOKYO, July 14 -- Japan Patent Office issued the following news:
From June 8 to 12, 2026, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) held an *Examiner Exchange Program* with the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM).
The JPO held Examiner Exchange Programs with the OEPM back in 2011 through 2013, and another one last year by inviting OEPM examiners to Japan. In this year's program, we dispatched our examiners to the OEPM in Madrid.
Participants in the program were five JPO examiners and six OEPM examiners respectively in charge of one of five technical fields: dynamo-electronic machines and control; heating, refrigerating, and air-conditioning engineering; medical device; genetic engineering; and cell engineering. They exchanged information on search methods for prior art including non-patent literature and application of examination guidelines in day-to-day examination. They also exchanged opinions on AI use in examination and responses to AI-related filings. Through these activities, participants from the two Offices successfully deepened their understanding of each other's patent examination practices.
The JPO will continue to cooperate on patent examination with overseas IP Offices.
* The Examiner Exchange Program is designed to foster a relationship of trust and deepen mutual understanding between the examiners of the JPO and those of an overseas IP Office and to promote mutual use of prior art search results and examination results through discussions on each other's prior art search methods and examination practices.
Participants from two offices
Exchange of opinions (1)
Exchange of opinions (2)
[Last updated 14 July 2026]
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
