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The collective expertise of our global team distinguishes OBWB in the field of Intellectual Property Law. We align our best resources to meet each client's specific needs and we treat each matter with the highest degree of attention and care.

JPO Announces New API for Searching and Retrieving Patent Data

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On November 8, 2021, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) announced that they will launch a new application programming interface (API) for searching and retrieving patent information from the JPO database. The new API will become available on January 10, 2022:

https://www.jpo.go.jp/system/laws/sesaku/data/api-provision.html.


This new service will enable users to navigate and obtain information of interest automatically from the massive JPO database without manual intervention. For example, companies would be able to automatically identify and collect patent information related to their products/services and create their own database to manage their patents or monitor patents of competing companies.

The API will provide access to information relating to patents but not utility models, design patents, or trademarks. Specifically, the API will provide 12 types of information in various formats, including prosecution history in JSON format and patent file wrapper documents (such as notifications of reasons for refusal) in XML format. The API will be available 24 hours a day throughout the year (except during maintenance), but there is a limit on the number of times a user can access each type of information on any given day. For example, the limit to access the prosecution history is 400 times per day, and the limit to obtain notifications of reasons for refusal is 100 times per day.

To utilize this new service, an application form must be filled out and submitted to the general affairs department of the JPO via email or mail. Login credentials for accessing the API will be issued in approximately one week. The service is entirely free of charge. However, basic programming knowledge would be required for API integration, and the JPO has indicated they will not respond to inquiries relating to integration or programming issues.