Japan vs United States: Annual patent applications
Japan
222,452
in 2021
United States
262,244
in 2021
Japan rank
3rd
United States rank
2nd
Annual patent applications over time
- Japan
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 262,244 against 222,452 in Japan, a difference of 39,792.
That makes United States's figure about 1.2 times Japan's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 40 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Japan ahead.
Japan ranks 3rd and United States ranks 2nd of 135 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Japan averaged higher in 3 and United States in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Japan | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 268,962 | 67,259 | 201,703 | Japan |
| 1990s | 340,455 | 111,226 | 229,228 | Japan |
| 2000s | 354,413 | 203,253 | 151,160 | Japan |
| 2010s | 268,074 | 277,921 | 9,847 | United States |
| 2020s | 224,900 | 265,915 | 41,015 | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patent applications, Japan or United States?
- United States, at 262,244 against 222,452 in Japan as of 2021.
- What is the difference in annual patent applications between Japan and United States?
- 39,792, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and United States?
- 40 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
- How do Japan and United States rank globally for annual patent applications?
- Japan ranks 3rd and United States ranks 2nd of 135 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Annual patent applications. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.