Germany vs Japan: Annual patent applications
Germany
39,822
in 2021
Japan
222,452
in 2021
Germany rank
5th
Japan rank
3rd
Annual patent applications over time
- Germany
- Japan
How they compare
Japan currently reports 222,452 against 39,822 in Germany, a difference of 182,630.
That makes Japan's figure about 5.6 times Germany's.
Across all 40 years both countries report, Japan has been ahead every year.
Germany ranks 5th and Japan ranks 3rd of 135 countries.
Japan has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Germany | Japan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 31,422 | 268,962 | 237,540 | Japan |
| 1990s | 38,978 | 340,455 | 301,476 | Japan |
| 2000s | 48,692 | 354,413 | 305,721 | Japan |
| 2010s | 47,306 | 268,074 | 220,768 | Japan |
| 2020s | 41,041 | 224,900 | 183,859 | Japan |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patent applications, Germany or Japan?
- Japan, at 222,452 against 39,822 in Germany as of 2021.
- What is the difference in annual patent applications between Germany and Japan?
- 182,630, with Japan ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and Japan?
- 40 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
- How do Germany and Japan rank globally for annual patent applications?
- Germany ranks 5th and Japan ranks 3rd of 135 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Annual patent applications. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.