The fee for applying for a patent screening will double next year, according to a plan released Tuesday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

The Patent Office will raise the charges on applications for the screening of nine-year patents to 199,000 yen from the current 99,500 yen.

But it will cut fees on initial applications to 16,000 yen from 21,000 yen, and those for patent-extension applications to 166,600 yen from 356,200 yen.

METI aims to implement the changes in April 2004 following revisions to the Patent Law.