Regarding foreign-originated applications being filed nationally in Japan, we believe that it is important not simply to translate these applications word-for-word. We should also understand the invention which our client aims to protect, and express the invention in clear Japanese. We believe that applications should be cleaned up at the very beginning. To that end we would suggest a preliminary amendment if one seems necessary in order to make clear Japanese claims from the original claims.
Regarding an office action from the Japanese Patent Office, we do not simply report the office action but also provide our opinion and recommendation. Although some clients may want only a simple reporting letter, generally we believe that our guidance is helpful.
We provide concise, well-reasoned advice on how to prosecute the application. We quickly respond to inquiries and report matters in a timely manner. Since we have found that conducting an interview with the examiner is typically very effective in obtaining allowances, we often seek to initiate productive discussions with the examiner and explain what the invention is after the client confirms our understanding.
We also believe that it's helpful to provide an explanation of the procedural aspects of Japanese patent law in each letter to our clients.
Our strong policy is "We never burn our old bridges."
