Germany vs Japan: Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent applications

Germany
18,453 Patents
in 2023
Japan
15,250 Patents
in 2023
Germany rank
2nd
Japan rank
3rd

Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent applications over time

  • Germany
  • Japan
05.0k10.0k15.0k20.0k25.0k197820002023

How they compare

Germany currently reports 18,453 Patents against 15,250 Patents in Japan, a difference of 3,203 Patents.

That makes Germany's figure about 1.2 times Japan's.

The two have swapped places 6 times across 46 shared years of data; in 1978 it was Germany ahead.

Germany ranks 2nd and Japan ranks 3rd of 88 countries.

Germany has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Germany Japan Difference Ahead
1970s 2,297 Patents 395.46 Patents 1,902 Patents Germany
1980s 8,275 Patents 5,879 Patents 2,395 Patents Germany
1990s 13,402 Patents 13,013 Patents 389.02 Patents Germany
2000s 22,481 Patents 21,709 Patents 772.14 Patents Germany
2010s 22,949 Patents 21,813 Patents 1,136 Patents Germany
2020s 21,036 Patents 19,033 Patents 2,004 Patents Germany

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher patents in oecd selected technologies — patent applications, Germany or Japan?
Germany, at 18,453 Patents against 15,250 Patents in Japan as of 2023.
What is the difference in patents in oecd selected technologies — patent applications between Germany and Japan?
3,203 Patents, with Germany ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and Japan?
46 years are reported by both, from 1978 to 2023.
How do Germany and Japan rank globally for patents in oecd selected technologies — patent applications?
Germany ranks 2nd and Japan ranks 3rd of 88 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent applications. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Germany vs Japan: Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent applications. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 22 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/patents-in-oecd-selected-technologies-patent-applications/germany/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent applications
Unit
Patents
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
104 places, 4,784 data points, 1978–2023
Last refreshed

Patent counts by technology (including total patents, estimated total patents for latest years): EPO, USPTO, PCT and Patent Families indicators are presented for selected technology domains such as ICT, Artificial Intelligence, nanotechnology, biotechnology as well as environment-related and health-related technologies.