On November 1, 2022, the JPO announced a two-year extension of the Expanded Collaborative Search Pilot Program.
The purpose of the Japan-U.S. Collaborative Search is for patent examiners in Japan and the U.S. to conduct searches of inventions for which patent applications have been filed in both countries, and to share their findings and opinions so that patent examiners in Japan and the U.S. can send their initial examination results earlier and at the same time.

With this agreement, Japanese firms and others will continue to use this survey and obtain survey results in both Japan and the U.S. early and with little time lag.

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2022/11/20221101005/20221101005.html