Japanese Grace Period Extended for Patents and Designs

On May 23, 2018 the Japanese Diet enacted legislation to extend the grace period for patents and designs. Previously the grace period under Japanese patent law the grace period only allowed for a 6 month grace period.

The new law went into effect on June 9, 2018 and applies to all disclosures made on or after December 9, 2017. Thus, for any disclosures made on or before December 8, 2017, the old six-month grace period will apply.