The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry intends to abolish the use of hanko seals currently required for documents in about 2,000 types of administrative procedures, such as patent applications.
"I've instructed officials to consider abolishing the use of seals for all administrative procedures," said Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshi Kajiyama at a press conference after a Cabinet meeting on Friday.
The ministry intends to revise ministerial ordinances necessary to stop using seals.
In addition to patent applications, administrative procedures subject to change are expected to include registration of entities that ensure the safety of electric and gas businesses. Most of the administrative procedures are related to matters undertaken by the Japan Patent Office, according to sources.
About 3 million applications to the patent office are filed annually, and electronic applications, which account for 90% of the total, no longer require seals. However, seals are still required for handwritten applications.
To no longer require the use of seals, the ministry plans to review about 500 types of procedures that are currently written by hand, such as the transfer of patent rights, to make it possible for them to be filed electronically.
The ministry also intends to stop using seals for other procedures such as for equipment management within the ministry office, the sources said.
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