Patent attorney - Benrishi (English spelling)

A patent attorney is someone who has national qualifications to represent clients in procedures related to industrial property rights. The Patent Attorney Law stipulates that "the mission of a patent attorney is to contribute to the proper operation of the intellectual property system, such as the promotion of proper protection and use of intellectual property rights, as an expert on intellectual property, and thereby contribute to the development of the economy and industry" (Article 1 of the same law).

The duties of a patent attorney are provided in the Patent Attorney Act, which states that "at the request of others, a patent attorney shall represent others in procedures at the Japan Patent Office related to patents, utility models, designs or trademarks, or international applications, applications for international registration of designs or applications for international registration of trademarks, and in procedures before the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry related to requests for examination or arbitration pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative Appeal Act for Patents, Utility Models, Designs or Trademarks (omitted), and shall provide appraisals and other services related to matters related to these procedures" (Patent Attorney Act, Article 4, Paragraph 1).

However, the duties of a patent attorney are not limited to these. They can act as litigation representatives at the Intellectual Property High Court in relation to cancellation decisions or appeals at the Patent Office, and can act as litigation representatives (special infringement litigation representatives) in specific infringement litigation cases only in cases in which the attorney is undertaken by the same client, and can act as assistants in infringement litigation.

Additionally, we act in out-of-court dispute resolution procedures at the Japan Intellectual Property Arbitration Center regarding industrial property rights or JP domain names, as well as representing clients in cases regarding the right to use the circuit layout of semiconductor integrated circuits or specific unfair competition cases, and we also represent not only rights holders but also importers and exporters in customs procedures for filing applications for import and export suspensions.

The patent attorney system is said to have begun in 1899 (Meiji 32), when Japan joined the Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (Paris Convention), and the "Regulations for Registration of Patent Agents" were issued. In 1909 (Meiji 42), the Patent Act was amended to state that procedures at the Patent Office could only be carried out by patent attorneys, and a penalty provision was added for the first time for those who acted as agents, and the name of "patent agents" was changed to "patent patent attorneys." In 1921 (Taisho 10), the Patent Attorney Act was enacted and the name of "patent patent attorneys" was changed to "patent attorneys." The Patent Attorney Act underwent many partial revisions before being fully revised in 2000 (Heisei 12).

The qualifications for a patent attorney are set out in the Patent Attorney Law, and include those who have passed the patent attorney examination (national examination) held once a year, those who are qualified to be lawyers, those who have worked as a judge or examiner at the Japan Patent Office for a total of seven years or more, and those who have completed practical training. In order to work as a patent attorney, one must be registered as a patent attorney (Article 17 of the same law). The number of registered patent attorneys was 138 at the end of 1899, but as of the end of March 2020 (Reiwa 2), it is 11,460 (excluding patent professional corporations).

Even if an invention is useful, in order to obtain strong patent rights, it is essential to use an experienced patent attorney. In order to maintain the dignity of patent attorneys, the Japan Patent Attorneys Association provides guidance, liaison, and supervision to patent attorneys in accordance with the Patent Attorneys Act. The Japan Patent Attorneys Association has established a training institute that provides training for members and those who have passed the patent attorney examination, a central intellectual property research institute that conducts research on intellectual property, and the Japan Intellectual Property Arbitration Center that mediates disputes regarding intellectual property rights.

[Masayoshi Tsunoda April 16, 2021]

"Patent Attorney White Paper" edited by the Japan Patent Attorneys Association, 2014 Edition (2015, Japan Patent Attorneys Association) https://www.jpaa.or.jp/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/benrishihakusyo_all.pdf" ▽ "The Interesting Job of a Patent Attorney, by Momoko Okuda, 4th Edition (2018, Chuo Keizaisha)" ▽ "Patent Attorney Info" edited and published by the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (2019, Japan Patent Attorneys Association)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

産業財産権にかかわる手続を代理することができる国家資格を有する者をいう。弁理士法は、「弁理士の使命」として、「知的財産に関する専門家として、知的財産権の適正な保護及び利用の促進その他の知的財産に係る制度の適正な運用に寄与し、もって経済及び産業の発展に資することを使命とする」と定めている（同法1条）。

　弁理士の業務については、弁理士法が、「他人の求めに応じ、特許、実用新案、意匠若(も)しくは商標又は国際出願、意匠に係る国際登録出願若しくは商標に係る国際登録出願に関する特許庁における手続及び特許、実用新案、意匠又は商標に関する行政不服審査法（中略）の規定による審査請求又は裁定に関する経済産業大臣に対する手続についての代理並びにこれらの手続に係る事項に関する鑑定その他の事務を行うことを業とする」と定めている（同法4条1項）。

　しかし、弁理士の業務はこれにとどまらない。特許庁における取消決定または審決に関して知的財産高等裁判所で訴訟代理人となり、特定侵害訴訟に関して、弁護士が同一の依頼者から受任している事件に限り訴訟代理人（付記特定侵害訴訟代理人）となり、侵害訴訟において、補佐人となることができる。

　また、裁判外の紛争解決手続について、産業財産権またはJPドメイン名に関する日本知的財産仲裁センターの手続きや、半導体集積回路の回路配置利用権または特定不正競争に関する代理、税関における輸出入差止め申立手続きでは権利者のみならず輸入者や輸出者の代理も行う。

　弁理士制度は、1899年（明治32）に日本が工業所有権保護同盟条約（パリ条約）加盟した際に、「特許代理業者登録規則」が発布されたのが始まりとされている。1909年（明治42）には、特許法に特許局への手続等は特許弁理士でなければ行うことができないこと、および特許弁理士以外が代理を行った場合の罰則規定が初めて設けられ、「特許代理業者」の名称が「特許弁理士」に改められた。1921年（大正10）には、弁理士法が制定され「特許弁理士」の名称が「弁理士」と改められた。弁理士法は多くの一部改正を経て、2000年（平成12）に全面改正された。

　弁理士の資格は、弁理士法に定められており、毎年一回行われる弁理士試験（国家試験）に合格した者、弁護士となる資格を有する者、特許庁で審判官または審査官として審判または審査の事務に従事した期間が通算して7年以上になる者であって、実務修習を修了していなければならない。弁理士の業務を行うには弁理士登録をしなければならない（同法17条）。なお弁理士としての登録者数は、1899年末時点で138名であったが、2020年（令和2）3月末現在1万1460人（特許業務法人を除く）である。

　有用な発明であっても特許として強い権利をとるためには、経験を積んだ弁理士を利用することが肝要である。弁理士の品位を保持するなどのため、日本弁理士会が弁理士法に基づき弁理士の指導、連絡および監督を行っている。日本弁理士会には会員や弁理士試験合格者のための研修を行う研修所、知的財産を研究する中央知的財産研究所、知的財産権に関する紛争の仲介を行う日本知的財産仲裁センター等が設置されている。

［角田政芳　2021年4月16日］

『日本弁理士会編著『弁理士白書』平成26年度版（2015・日本弁理士会） https://www.jpaa.or.jp/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/benrishihakusyo_all.pdf』▽『奥田百子著『こんなにおもしろい弁理士の仕事』第4版（2018・中央経済社）』▽『日本弁理士会編・刊『弁理士Info』（2019・日本弁理士会）』

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