Japan vs South Korea: Annual patent applications
Japan
222,452
in 2021
South Korea
186,245
in 2021
Japan rank
3rd
South Korea rank
4th
Annual patent applications over time
- Japan
- South Korea
How they compare
Japan currently reports 222,452 against 186,245 in South Korea, a difference of 36,207.
That makes Japan's figure about 1.2 times South Korea's.
Across all 40 years both countries report, Japan has been ahead every year.
Japan ranks 3rd and South Korea ranks 4th of 135 countries.
Japan has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Japan | South Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 268,962 | 3,596 | 265,366 | Japan |
| 1990s | 340,455 | 38,985 | 301,470 | Japan |
| 2000s | 354,413 | 104,947 | 249,466 | Japan |
| 2010s | 268,074 | 156,597 | 111,477 | Japan |
| 2020s | 224,900 | 183,361 | 41,539 | Japan |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patent applications, Japan or South Korea?
- Japan, at 222,452 against 186,245 in South Korea as of 2021.
- What is the difference in annual patent applications between Japan and South Korea?
- 36,207, with Japan ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and South Korea?
- 40 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
- How do Japan and South Korea rank globally for annual patent applications?
- Japan ranks 3rd and South Korea ranks 4th 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.