Japan vs South Korea: Life science patents granted, by technology
Japan
4,732 patents
in 2023
South Korea
2,686 patents
in 2023
Japan rank
3rd
South Korea rank
4th
Life science patents granted, by technology over time
- Japan
- South Korea
How they compare
Japan currently reports 4,732 patents against 2,686 patents in South Korea, a difference of 2,046 patents.
That makes Japan's figure about 1.8 times South Korea's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 44 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Japan ahead.
Japan ranks 3rd and South Korea ranks 4th of 65 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 | 706.5 patents | 87.1 patents | 619.4 patents | Japan |
| 1990s | 1,279 patents | 347.3 patents | 932 patents | Japan |
| 2000s | 1,267 patents | 1,022 patents | 245.2 patents | Japan |
| 2010s | 4,030 patents | 2,293 patents | 1,737 patents | Japan |
| 2020s | 4,192 patents | 2,735 patents | 1,458 patents | Japan |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher life science patents granted, by technology, Japan or South Korea?
- Japan, at 4,732 patents against 2,686 patents in South Korea as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life science patents granted, by technology between Japan and South Korea?
- 2,046 patents, with Japan ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and South Korea?
- 44 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2023.
- How do Japan and South Korea rank globally for life science patents granted, by technology?
- Japan ranks 3rd and South Korea ranks 4th 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.