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PCT, International Applications Referenced Items (346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374)
(347)        Arrangement between the United States Patent and
               Trademark Office and the Japan Patent Office
               Concerning Action of the Japan Patent Office
                 as an International Searching Authority
                   and Preliminary Examining Authority
                   under the Patent Cooperation Treaty
                for International Applications Received by
              the United States Patent and Trademark Office


   Whereas an Agreement exists between the Japan Patent Office (hereinafter
"JPO") and the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property
Organization(hereinafter called "International Bureau") in relation to the
functioning of the JPO as an International Searching and International
Preliminary Examining Authority under the Patent Cooperation Treaty
(hereinafter called "the Agreement between the JPO and the International
Bureau"); and

   Whereas the United States Patent and Trademark Office (hereinafter
called "USPTO") desires to have the JPO carry out the tasks as one of the
International Searching Authorities and International Preliminary Examining
Authorities under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, and the JPO is willing to
do so,

   The USPTO and the JPO (hereinafter also called "the Participants") have
reached the common recognition as follows:

   1. (1) The JPO intends to act as an International Searching Authority
      and International Preliminary Examining Authority under the Patent
      Cooperation Treaty for international applications filed with the
      USPTO as Receiving Office insofar as the following conditions are
      met:

      (i)   the international applications are submitted in the English
             language;

      (ii)  the claims of the international application are directed to the
            field of green technology as defined by the International
            Patent Classification classes indicated in Annex A;

      (iii) The JPO has not received more than 5,000 international
            applications from the USPTO during the 3 year period from
            July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2018, and not more than 300
            applications per quarter during the first year, and not more
            than 475 applications per quarter during the second and third
            years; and

      (iv)  The JPO is chosen as a competent authority by the applicants of
            said applications.

      (2) Consistent with paragraph (1), the JPO intends to act as an
      International Preliminary Examining Authority only where the JPO had
      acted as the International Searching Authority.

      (3) The USPTO intends to inform the International Bureau, pursuant to
      the Patent Cooperation Treaty (hereinafter the "PCT") Rules 35 and 59
      that the JPO is competent for the searching and international
      preliminary examination under this arrangement in paragraphs (1) and
      (2).

   2. The JPO intends to conduct the international search and international
      preliminary examination pursuant to the provisions of the Agreement
      between the JPO and the International Bureau, and intends to promptly
      notify the USPTO of any relevant amendment to said Agreement between
      the JPO and the International Bureau.
Top of Notices Top of Notices   (347)  December 29, 2015 US PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE 1421 CNOG  2696 


   3. The language of correspondence between the USPTO and the JPO
      or the applicants is English.

   4. Conduct of technical and procedural matters including transfer of
      fees and exchange of documents is as specified in Annex B of this
      arrangement.

   5. The JPO, upon request and on payment, intends to furnish the
      applicants with copies of the documents cited in the international
      search reports and the international preliminary examination reports.

   6. (1) The fees and charges which the JPO is entitled to make in
      relation to its function are intended to be those set out in Annex C
      of the Agreement between the JPO and the International Bureau,
      depending on the version of the Agreement in force, as represented by
      Annexes D and E of the PCT Applicant's Guide.

      (2) The USPTO intends to collect the search fees from the applicants
      in the U.S. Dollar (USD) amount specified in Annex D of the PCT
      Applicant's Guide and intends to transfer said amount in USD to the
      bank account in Japan, which has been communicated for this use.

      (3) The USPTO intends to transfer the search fee to said bank account
      in Japan, by the end of the next month following the month in which
      the search fee is received, and intends to promptly notify the JPO of
      the international filing date, the international application number,
      and the date on which the search fee was received.

      (4) Any fee for copies of documents cited in the international search
      report, additional international search fee, international
      preliminary examination fee, additional preliminary examination fee,
      or any necessary fee for search or preliminary examination is
      expected to be paid by the applicant to the JPO in the amount and in
      the currency set out in Annex D or E of the PCT Applicant's Guide.

   7. (1) This Arrangement comes into effect upon July 1, 2015.

      (2) The USPTO and the JPO intend that this Arrangement end on June
      30, 2018 or upon the termination of the Agreement between the JPO and
      the International Bureau if such termination is earlier. The USPTO
      and the JPO may continue this Arrangement by mutual written consent
      upon any renewal of the said Agreement between the JPO and the
      International Bureau.

   8. This Arrangement may be modified with the written consent of both the
      USPTO and the JPO.

   9. (1) This Arrangement may be discontinued by either Participant by
      written notice to the other Participant; however each Participant
      should endeavour to provide six months advanced notice of its intent
      to discontinue this Arrangement.

      (2) The JPO intends to act as the competent International Searching
      Authority and the International Preliminary Examining Authority in
      accordance with this Arrangement upon international applications
      insofar as these applications are received by the USPTO within six
      months after the receipt of the notice under the preceding paragraph.

  10. (1) The Participants intend, where relevant, to apply the provisions
      under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, and the Regulations and the
      Administrative Instructions under the Treaty, to matters which are
      not provided for in this Arrangement.

      (2) This Arrangement does not give rise to legal obligations under
      international or domestic law.  The JPO and the USPTO intend to
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      resolve any differences which arise regarding this Arrangement
      through consultations and negotiations.

  11. Annex A and Annex B are part of this Arrangement.

  12. The Participants recognize that if there is a change regarding the
      information in Section 1 (Contact Details) of Annex B, the
      Participant making the change intends to notify the other
      Participant.

Signed on May 15, 2015 and on May 27, 2015

For the United States Patent                    For the Japan Patent Office
and Trademark Office

MICHELLE LEE                                                    HITOSHI ITO
Under Secretary of Commerce for                     Commissioner of the JPO
Intellectual Property and
Director of the USPTO

                                 [1417 OG 64]