The Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of the Kingdom of Bahrain have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to launch a bilateral Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH). The program will come into effect on January 1, 2026.

Through this initiative, applicants will be able to request accelerated examination in one office when a corresponding application has received a favorable outcome in the other. The arrangement is designed to streamline procedures, reduce duplication, and provide faster and more reliable protection for patent rights.

This development further expands Bahrain’s PPH network, which already covers the United States (since November 2024), China (since May 2024), Korea (since January 2025), and the European Patent Office (since March 2025). By adding Japan to this list, Bahrain continues to strengthen its intellectual property framework and align with global best practices, offering applicants wider options to manage international patent portfolios efficiently.