The Patent Office under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has notified two U.S. companies that their applications for business model patents will be declined, government sources said Monday.
Amazon.com, the biggest online retailer, applied for a patent for its electronic commerce system, which enables a transaction to be completed -- from order to settlement -- with one click of a mouse.
Signature Financial Group Inc., a computer and equipment leasing firm, sought a patent for an investment model that combines several mutual funds to improve returns.
Both business models have been granted patents by U.S. authorities, but Japanese authorities tentatively decided that they are "not unique enough," the sources said.
The decision will be formalized after the authorities take into account objections from the applicants, the sources said.