The Japanese patent system has much that seems familiar to a U.S. patent practitioner, both substantively and procedurally. However, that aura of similarity masks a considerable number of variations that can impact how quickly a useful result is achieved, how costly that result is to achieve, and even whether the result is achieved at all. Understanding how the Japanese system operates can greatly help the U.S. practitioner to help their Japanese counterpart to obtain better results, in less time, and at reduced cost.

The Japanese edition of The Essentials of Japanese Patent Prosecution is a bestselling book of its kind--a thorough and practical examination of the Japanese patent prosecution process, including how to work with the Japan Patent Office, reasons the JPO rejects applications, and how to respond to JPO official actions to patent practitioners. This updated English edition compares Japanese procedure to U.S. practice, serving as an invaluable guide to U.S. practitioners as well as to those interested in better understanding patent system alternatives to the U.S. paradigm.

This book is interspersed with numerous comments throughout that compare and contrast various points of Japanese procedure with U.S. patent practice. These insertions provide guidance for situations when Japanese practice tracks with and when it departs from what is familiar to the U.S. practitioner.