This paper examines the consequences of the differences in the timing of information disclosure between the U.S. and Japanese patent systems. Under the Japanese system it is possible for a firm to apply for a patent knowing the exact specifications of a rival's patent application. In contrast,...

In this paper, we have used an original survey of patent utilization to empirically examine whether the timings of patent-related behaviors in Japanese firms (e.g., the year a patent application was filed, the year a patent examination was requested, and the year a patent right lapsed)...

This paper examines the consequences of the differences in the timing of information disclosure between the U.S. and Japanese patent systems. Under the Japanese system it is possible for a firm to apply for a patent knowing the exact specifications of a rival's patent application. In contrast,...