Discount and Exemption System for Design Right Acquisition Cost

The JPO and local public authorities of Japan are offering subsidies for acquisition of design rights. In order to receive the subsidy, the applicant needs to meet certain criteria and pass, before filing a foreign application, the examination.

If you wish to receive the subsidy for the cost for acquiring a design right, please check the details below.

If you have any questions, please contact the JPO or each local public authority or please feel free to contact us.

Subsidy System by JPO

FY2021 subsidies to support foreign applications/infringement countermeasures of small and medium enterprises, etc. (support project for foreign applications of small and medium enterprises, etc.)

This is a system in which the JPO subsidizes part of the costs for foreign applications of small and medium enterprises through nationwide authorities.

Website of the JPO: "The JPO subsidizes half of the cost involved in a foreign application"
(external website) https://www.jpo.go.jp/support/chusho/shien_gaikokusyutugan.html

Nationwide Authority

The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) accepts subsidy applications from small and medium enterprises of all parts of Japan.

→ Website of JETRO:https://www.jetro.go.jp/services/ip_service_overseas_appli.html (external website)

• The above website of the JPO also provides information regarding the regional authorities.

Foreign Subsidy System

<U.S.>

Applicants that qualify for small entity status or micro entity status are eligible for reduction of the application filing fee, the search fee, and the examination fee.

(1) Small entity

The applicant who meets the following (i) and (ii) below and goes through the prescribed procedure is eligible for a 50% reduction on the application filing fee, etc.

  • (i) The applicant falls under any of the following categories: individuals, small business entities, and non-profit organizations.
  • (ii) The applicant has not currently assigned, granted, conveyed, or licensed and has been under no obligation by contract or law to assign, grant, convey, or license the right relating to the invention (design) in question to another entity that does not fall under any of the categories in (i) above.

Please contact us to check whether the applicant falls under the small business entities.

(2) Micro entity

The applicant who meets the following requirement "A" below and goes through the prescribed procedure is eligible for a 75% reduction on the application filing fee, etc.

A. Individuals or groups that meet the following (i) to (iv):

  • (i) The applicant qualifies as a small entity.
  • (ii) The applicant has not been named as an inventor (creator) on more than four previously filed US applications.
  • (iii) A gross income of the applicant or the inventor (creator) in the previous year of the year in which the fee(s) is paid under this exemption system does not exceed three times the average household income in the same year.
  • (iv) The applicant or the inventor has not currently assigned, granted, conveyed, or licensed, and has been under no obligation by contract or law to assign, grant, convey, or license the right relating to the invention (design) in question to another entity that has a gross income which is more than three times the average household income.

The above requirement "A" includes applicants who meet the following (i) and (ii).

  • (i) The employer of the applicant is a U.S. institution of higher education, and the applicant obtains the majority of their income from such an employer.
  • (ii) Regarding the right relating to the invention (design) in question, the applicant has currently assigned, granted, or conveyed or has been under an obligation by contract or law to assign, grant, or convey a license or other ownership right to the U.S. institution of higher education.

Before filing an application, we can contact our affiliated U.S. agency to check whether the applicant actually qualifies for small entity status or micro entity status.

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