China vs Japan: Life science patents granted, by technology
China
14,477 patents
in 2023
Japan
4,732 patents
in 2023
China rank
1st
Japan rank
3rd
Life science patents granted, by technology over time
- China
- Japan
How they compare
China currently reports 14,477 patents against 4,732 patents in Japan, a difference of 9,745 patents.
That makes China's figure about 3.1 times Japan's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 31 shared years of data; in 1993 it was Japan ahead.
China ranks 1st and Japan ranks 3rd of 65 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, China averaged higher in 3 and Japan in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Japan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 167.29 patents | 1,410 patents | 1,243 patents | Japan |
| 2000s | 2,981 patents | 1,267 patents | 1,714 patents | China |
| 2010s | 8,816 patents | 4,030 patents | 4,786 patents | China |
| 2020s | 12,366 patents | 4,192 patents | 8,173 patents | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher life science patents granted, by technology, China or Japan?
- China, at 14,477 patents against 4,732 patents in Japan as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life science patents granted, by technology between China and Japan?
- 9,745 patents, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Japan?
- 31 years are reported by both, from 1993 to 2023.
- How do China and Japan rank globally for life science patents granted, by technology?
- China ranks 1st and Japan ranks 3rd of 65 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) β processed by Our World in Data, published as Life science patents granted, by technology. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Number of pharmaceutical patents granted by the filing office in a given year. Pharmaceutical patents typically cover new drugs, biological treatments or vaccines.