China vs Japan: Life science patents granted, by filing office
China
61,617 patents
in 2023
Japan
19,518 patents
in 2023
China rank
1st
Japan rank
3rd
Life science patents granted, by filing office over time
- China
- Japan
How they compare
China currently reports 61,617 patents against 19,518 patents in Japan, a difference of 42,099 patents.
That makes China's figure about 3.2 times Japan's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 44 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Japan ahead.
China ranks 1st and Japan ranks 3rd of 70 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, China averaged higher in 2 and Japan in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Japan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 patents | 2,061 patents | 2,061 patents | Japan |
| 1990s | 219.6 patents | 4,389 patents | 4,169 patents | Japan |
| 2000s | 5,186 patents | 5,883 patents | 696.6 patents | Japan |
| 2010s | 22,762 patents | 16,105 patents | 6,657 patents | China |
| 2020s | 50,622 patents | 17,609 patents | 33,014 patents | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher life science patents granted, by filing office, China or Japan?
- China, at 61,617 patents against 19,518 patents in Japan as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life science patents granted, by filing office between China and Japan?
- 42,099 patents, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Japan?
- 44 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2023.
- How do China and Japan rank globally for life science patents granted, by filing office?
- China ranks 1st and Japan ranks 3rd of 70 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Life science patents granted, by filing office. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Patents granted within the fields of medical technology, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals by filing office. These patents cover a wide range of innovations, such as medical devices, diagnostic methods, genetic engineering techniques, biotechnological processes and new drugs.