The JPO had a goal to shorten the time before the first action to 11 months or less, which was set in 2004. At the end of March of this year, the JPO finally achieved the goal, and the examination period was shortened to 11 months.

The JPO now set a new goal to shorten the examination period required for granting patent rights to 14 months or less on average and to shorten the first office action period to 10 months or less on average by the end of fiscal year 2023.