JPO (Japan Patent Office)¶

Access the Japan Patent Office Patent Information Retrieval APIs for patents, designs, and trademarks.

JPO MCP tools are not available

The Python JpoClient documented on this page works locally if you have your own JPO_API_USERNAME / JPO_API_PASSWORD. JPO is not exposed as MCP tools — the hosted demo at mcp.patentclient.com, the stdio MCP server, and the Claude Code plugin all omit JPO. Treat the "MCP Tools" section below as a description of the Python surface only.

Quick Start¶

from patent_client_agents.jpo import JpoClient

async with JpoClient() as client:
    # Get patent progress/status
    progress = await client.get_patent_progress("2020123456")

    # Get trademark information
    tm = await client.get_trademark_progress("2021098765")

    # Cross-reference numbers
    refs = await client.get_patent_number_reference("01", "2020123456")

Configuration¶

Requires JPO-issued API credentials:

export JPO_API_USERNAME="your-jpo-username"
export JPO_API_PASSWORD="your-jpo-password"

Registration Required

JPO API access requires separate registration (not the same as J-PlatPat account). Contact: PA0630@jpo.go.jp

Rate Limits¶

Limit Type	Value
Requests per minute	10
Daily limit (most endpoints)	200
Daily limit (number reference)	50

The client automatically enforces rate limiting via a sliding window.

Patent Functions¶

Function	Description
`get_patent_progress()`	Full application status with classifications, procedures
`get_patent_progress_simple()`	Simplified status (fewer API credits)
`get_patent_divisional_info()`	Divisional/continuation relationships
`get_patent_priority_info()`	Priority claims
`get_patent_applicant_by_code()`	Applicant name from code
`get_patent_applicant_by_name()`	Applicant code from name
`get_patent_number_reference()`	Cross-reference app/pub/reg numbers
`get_patent_application_documents()`	Filed documents (amendments, responses)
`get_patent_mailed_documents()`	Office actions and decisions
`get_patent_refusal_notices()`	Notices of reasons for refusal
`get_patent_cited_documents()`	Prior art citations
`get_patent_registration_info()`	Registration details
`get_patent_jplatpat_url()`	Direct J-PlatPat link
`get_patent_pct_national_number()`	National phase from PCT number

Design Functions¶

Function	Description
`get_design_progress()`	Design application status
`get_design_progress_simple()`	Simplified design status
`get_design_priority_info()`	Design priority claims
`get_design_applicant_by_code()`	Applicant name from code
`get_design_applicant_by_name()`	Applicant code from name
`get_design_number_reference()`	Cross-reference numbers
`get_design_application_documents()`	Filed documents
`get_design_mailed_documents()`	Office actions
`get_design_refusal_notices()`	Refusal notices
`get_design_registration_info()`	Registration details
`get_design_jplatpat_url()`	Direct J-PlatPat link

Trademark Functions¶

Function	Description
`get_trademark_progress()`	Trademark application status
`get_trademark_progress_simple()`	Simplified trademark status
`get_trademark_priority_info()`	Trademark priority claims
`get_trademark_applicant_by_code()`	Applicant name from code
`get_trademark_applicant_by_name()`	Applicant code from name
`get_trademark_number_reference()`	Cross-reference numbers
`get_trademark_application_documents()`	Filed documents
`get_trademark_mailed_documents()`	Office actions
`get_trademark_refusal_notices()`	Refusal notices
`get_trademark_registration_info()`	Registration details
`get_trademark_jplatpat_url()`	Direct J-PlatPat link

Usage Examples¶

Get Full Patent Prosecution History¶

from patent_client_agents.jpo import JpoClient

async with JpoClient() as client:
    app_num = "2020123456"

    # Basic status
    progress = await client.get_patent_progress(app_num)
    print(f"Title: {progress.invention_title}")
    print(f"Filing Date: {progress.filing_date}")
    print(f"IPC: {[c.ipc_code for c in progress.ipc_classification]}")

    # Prosecution documents
    docs = await client.get_patent_application_documents(app_num)
    for doc in docs.documents:
        print(f"  {doc.receipt_date}: {doc.document_name}")

    # Office actions
    oas = await client.get_patent_mailed_documents(app_num)
    for oa in oas.documents:
        print(f"  {oa.sending_date}: {oa.document_name}")

Cross-Reference Patent Numbers¶

from patent_client_agents.jpo import JpoClient, NumberType

async with JpoClient() as client:
    # From application number, get publication and registration
    refs = await client.get_patent_number_reference(
        NumberType.APPLICATION,
        "2020123456"
    )
    for ref in refs:
        print(f"App: {ref.application_number}")
        print(f"Pub: {ref.publication_number}")
        print(f"Reg: {ref.registration_number}")

Find Applicant Information¶

from patent_client_agents.jpo import JpoClient

async with JpoClient() as client:
    # Search by name (partial match supported)
    applicants = await client.get_patent_applicant_by_name("[出願人名]")
    for a in applicants:
        print(f"{a.applicant_attorney_cd}: {a.name}")

One-Shot Convenience Functions¶

from patent_client_agents.jpo import get_patent_progress, get_patent_jplatpat_url

# No need for context manager - creates client automatically
progress = await get_patent_progress("2020123456")

# Get direct link to J-PlatPat
url = await get_patent_jplatpat_url("2020123456")
print(f"View on J-PlatPat: {url}")

Number Formats¶

Type	Format	Example
Application	10 digits	`2020123456`
Publication	Year-Number	`2021-123456`
Registration	7 digits	`7123456`
PCT Application	PCT/JP format	`PCT/JP2020/012345`

MCP Server¶

The jpo-mcp server exposes all functions as MCP tools:

jpo-mcp  # Starts the MCP server

Available Tools¶

jpo.patent.get_progress - Get patent application progress
jpo.patent.get_progress_simple - Get simplified patent progress
jpo.patent.get_divisional_info - Get divisional application info
jpo.patent.get_applicant_by_code - Get applicant by code
jpo.patent.get_applicant_by_name - Get applicant by name
jpo.patent.get_number_reference - Cross-reference numbers
jpo.patent.get_application_documents - Get filed documents
jpo.patent.get_mailed_documents - Get office actions
jpo.patent.get_refusal_notices - Get refusal notices
jpo.patent.get_cited_documents - Get citations
jpo.patent.get_registration_info - Get registration info
jpo.patent.get_jplatpat_url - Get J-PlatPat URL
jpo.patent.get_pct_national_number - Get national phase number
jpo.design.* - Design equivalents
jpo.trademark.* - Trademark equivalents

API Reference¶

::: patent_client_agents.jpo.JpoClient options: show_root_heading: true members: - get_patent_progress - get_patent_progress_simple - get_patent_number_reference