Japan and Thailand deepen cooperation on patent examination and IP enforcement

Japan and Thailand are strengthening cooperation on intellectual property, including a new Patent Prosecution Highway initiative, examiner training, and measures to combat online counterfeiting.

The Japan Patent Office (JPO) and Thailand’s Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) are deepening bilateral cooperation across intellectual property, with recent initiatives covering patent examination, trademark examination, and IP enforcement.

The cooperation includes a new Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) initiative that began in January 2026, as well as programs designed to strengthen the patent examination capabilities of Thai officials.

New Patent Prosecution Highway initiative

On March 11, JPO Commissioner Yasuyuki Kasai held a bilateral meeting with Auramon Supthaweethum, Director-General of Thailand’s DIP. The officials discussed a new PPH initiative designed to accelerate patent examination at the DIP by providing examination insights from the JPO, acting as the office of earlier examination.

The program commenced in January 2026. The JPO and DIP also discussed the operation of trademark examinations in Thailand and reaffirmed their intention to strengthen cooperation in other areas. The JPO’s PPH arrangement with Thailand has subsequently been extended for an additional two years from January 1, 2026. The JPO identifies Thailand as one of the six major ASEAN IP offices with which it operates PPH programs.

PPH arrangements allow an application containing claims found to be patentable by an office of earlier examination to receive accelerated examination at the office of later examination, subject to the applicable requirements. For applicants operating across Japan and Thailand, the arrangement is intended to reduce duplication and facilitate more efficient patent examination.

Examiner training

The bilateral relationship also includes practical cooperation on patent examination expertise.

The JPO reported in February that it had conducted an in-person training program for Thai patent examiners from November 25 to December 1, 2025. The program included training in patent examination practice for new examiners, patent searching, and patent-examination management. Four JPO international training instructors, together with an assistant instructor, delivered the courses.

A cumulative total of 155 DIP patent examiners participated in the program. The JPO subsequently conducted a further follow-up program in Thailand from July 15 to 21, 2026, building on the earlier patent-examination training provided to newly appointed examiners.

The training forms part of the JPO’s wider international cooperation program on patent examination practices, which is aimed at promoting mutual understanding and greater harmonization of examination practices between IP offices.

Focus on IP enforcement

The cooperation extends beyond patent examination. On December 2, 2025, the JPO and DIP co-hosted a follow-up seminar in Bangkok focusing on IP enforcement and anti-counterfeiting measures on e-commerce platforms.

The seminar was attended by approximately 70 IP stakeholders, including DIP officials, Thai law firms, universities and research institutions. The JPO said the event responded to an increase in counterfeit products on Thai e-commerce platforms and the need for more effective measures to address online counterfeiting. The seminar demonstrates that the Japan-Thailand relationship encompasses practical enforcement issues alongside examination cooperation.

Broader regional cooperation

The developments form part of a wider pattern of cooperation between the JPO and Southeast Asian IP offices.

As of May 2026, the JPO said it operated PPH programs with all six major ASEAN IP offices — Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The office said this allows applicants whose patents are granted by the JPO to request accelerated examination in those ASEAN jurisdictions, subject to the respective PPH requirements.

For businesses seeking patent protection in both Japan and Thailand, the latest measures offer practical benefits at different stages of the IP lifecycle, from examination and prosecution through to enforcement against infringement. The developments also highlight the growing importance of cooperation between Asian IP authorities as cross-border patent activity and online infringement continue to evolve. The JPO has said it will continue to support the development and strengthening of IP systems in Thailand and other emerging countries.

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