JPO-USPTO Expedited Patent Prosectution Not for PCT Applications

John Tessensohn and Shusaku Yamamoto in Osaka, Japan have reported receiving numerous inquiries regarding the new USPTO-JPO Patent Prosecution Highway expedited examination program. However, the program is NOT available for Japanese Patent applications that are national stage entries from PCT cases based on a US filing. Only Paris Convention Japanese cases claiming priority to the US cases are eligible.

"Since the majority of foreign filings at the JPO are PCT national phase entry cases," they write, "this program is of little use to foreign applicants that use the PCT."

More information here.