Japan vs South Korea: Patent applications, nonresidents

Japan
69,686
in 2024
South Korea
50,459
in 2024
Japan rank
3rd
South Korea rank
4th

Patent applications, nonresidents over time

  • Japan
  • South Korea
020.0k40.0k60.0k80.0k198020022024

How they compare

Japan currently reports 69,686 against 50,459 in South Korea, a difference of 19,227.

That makes Japan's figure about 1.4 times South Korea's.

Across all 43 years both countries report, Japan has been ahead every year.

Japan ranks 3rd and South Korea ranks 4th of 157 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 28,945 9,387 19,558 Japan
1990s 36,911 19,477 17,434 Japan
2000s 56,077 35,578 20,498 Japan
2010s 58,081 44,311 13,769 Japan
2020s 67,894 50,909 16,985 Japan

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher patent applications, nonresidents, Japan or South Korea?
Japan, at 69,686 against 50,459 in South Korea as of 2024.
What is the difference in patent applications, nonresidents between Japan and South Korea?
19,227, with Japan ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and South Korea?
43 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2024.
How do Japan and South Korea rank globally for patent applications, nonresidents?
Japan ranks 3rd and South Korea ranks 4th of 157 countries.
Where does this data come from?
WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans, published as Patent applications, nonresidents. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Japan vs South Korea: Patent applications, nonresidents. Statizoid, drawing on WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans. Retrieved 08 November 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/patent-applications-nonresidents/japan/korea-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Patent applications, nonresidents
Source
WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
169 places, 5,085 data points, 1980–2024
Last refreshed

Patent applications are worldwide patent applications filed through the Patent Cooperation Treaty procedure or with a national patent office for exclusive rights for an invention--a product or process that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem. A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the patent for a limited period, generally 20 years.