The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has compiled a draft of guidelines for contracts on the use of AI and data.

METI is asking for public comment on the draft of the guideline until May 26.

The Supreme Court did not accept an appeal filed against a grand panel judgment of the IPHC, which judgment had dismissed a claim for an injunction against the manufacture and sale of a generic drug based on a drug-formulation patent right. The grand panel judgement became final and binding.
The issue was the scope of the patent right whose duration was extended.
The following is the grand panel judgement of the IPHC :

www.ip.courts.go.jp/app/files/hanrei_en/136/002136.pdf

Judge Makiko Takabe, who is a former prisiding Judge, has been appointed as the Chief Judge of the Intellectual Property High Court on May 5,
2018.

JPO announced that Examination Guideline for Design was partilly revised and JPO will examine the application according to the revised Guideline from May 1, 2018.

This revision seems minor change such that a few examples are added to clarify the criteria (KSI).

Number of Court Judgments in Revocation Actions against Trial/Appeal Decisions in 2017.

(Ex-parte appeal)
Dismissal of action: 42 Revocation of decision:8
(Inter-partes appeal)
Dismissal of action: 58 Revocation of decision:36

It is challenging to revocate the decision in case of ex-parte appeal (KSI).

Applications that have been filed with both the JPO and at least one of foreign IP Offices or that have been filed under the PCT are eligible for accelerated examination.

JPO announced the status of processing oppositions to grant of patent from the introduction of the post grant opposition in April, 2015 to the end of 2017. The revocation rate is 6.5% and the cases in which the claims are corrected is 31.1%.