日本專利之附屬項記載（About Claim XL）

多重附屬項（multiple dependent claim）為一種選擇式的附屬範圍，但為了避免不明確，一般如中華民國專利施行細則第18條第5項之規定：『附屬項僅得依附在前之獨立項或附屬項。但多項附屬項間不得直接或間接依附』，明文禁止多重附屬項相互依附
審查基準則有類似記載，更限制用「或」：『多項附屬項之記載應以選擇式為之（專施18.IV），即多項附屬項中所載之被依附的獨立項或附屬項項號，之間應以「或」或其他與「或」同義的擇一形式用語表現。多項附屬項不得直接或間接依附另一多項附屬項』

根據日本審查指南（JP Patent Examination Guideline）中描述的多重附屬項（multiple dependent claim）之規範，在明確且簡潔的要求下，允許在獨立項與附屬項中使用多重依附的選擇式寫法，多重依附的寫法具有撰寫簡短與減少權利項次（並不多收錢）的好處，但是仍有「整包」被核駁、無效、拋棄的壞處

可被接受的型式有（Part I, 英文版）：
Example: Multiple dependent form claims
1. An air conditioner of specific construction.
2. An air conditioner as defined in claim 1 provided with a wind direction regulating means.
3. An air conditioner as defined in claim 1 or 2 provided with a flow regulating means.
Example:
1. A bolt provided with a male thread of specific configuration.
2. A nut provided with a female thread of specific configuration.
3. A fastening apparatus comprising the bolt as defined in claim 1 and the nut as defined in claim 2.

不可被接受的型式：
Example: （非選擇式寫法）
1. An air conditioner with specific construction.
2. An air conditioner as defined in claim 1 provided with a wind direction regulating means.
3. An air conditioner as defined in claims 1 and 2 provided with a flow regulating means.
Example: （同時依附不同標的）
1. An artificial heart with specific structure.
2. A process for producing an artificial heart of specific construction, comprising specific methods.
3. An artificial heart as defined in claim 1 provided with a safety device, or a process for producing the artificial heart as defined in claim 2 provided with a safety device.

但其中並未明確記載是否可以接受多重附屬項可為另一多重附屬項之被依附基礎

根據日本代理人協會網站的內容所提到的權利範圍的附屬關係（claim dependency），其中提到日本專利可以接受多重附屬項為另一多重附屬項的被依附項
『With respect to multiple dependent form of claims, a multiple dependent claim can serve as a basis for other multiple dependent claims.』

可被接受的樣式：
For example:
4. An apparatus according to one of claims 1, 2, and 3 further comprising A.
5. -----
6. -----
7. An apparatus according to one of claims 4, 5, and 6 further comprising B.

再如一範例，在相同技術特徵要求下，不同類別的範圍也可依附，但是不能在一個範圍內有兩種不同標的：
Example:
1. An artificial heart comprising Component (A) and Component (B).
2. A method of producing the artificial heart according to claim 1, which comprises Step (A) and Step (B).
3. The artificial heart according to claim 1 or the method according to claim 2, wherein the artificial heart further comprises Component (C).
其中第2項可被接受，但第3項不允許

在歐洲專利常用的「any one of proceeding claims」仍不被日本專利允許，日本專利要求要將項次列出

Ron
資料參考：
JPO
Japan Patent Attorneys Association（日本辯理士協會）
http://www.jpaa.or.jp/english/patent/unique_jpo_practices.html