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

Japan
15,250 Patents
in 2023
Switzerland
5,882 Patents
in 2023
Japan rank
3rd
Switzerland rank
6th

Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent applications over time

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

How they compare

Japan currently reports 15,250 Patents against 5,882 Patents in Switzerland, a difference of 9,368 Patents.

That makes Japan's figure about 2.6 times Switzerland's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 46 shared years of data; in 1978 it was Switzerland ahead.

Japan ranks 3rd and Switzerland ranks 6th of 88 countries.

Across the 6 decades both report, Japan averaged higher in 5 and Switzerland in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Japan Switzerland Difference Ahead
1970s 395.46 Patents 549.99 Patents 154.53 Patents Switzerland
1980s 5,879 Patents 1,633 Patents 4,247 Patents Japan
1990s 13,013 Patents 2,386 Patents 10,627 Patents Japan
2000s 21,709 Patents 4,639 Patents 17,070 Patents Japan
2010s 21,813 Patents 5,854 Patents 15,959 Patents Japan
2020s 19,033 Patents 6,699 Patents 12,334 Patents Japan

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher patents in oecd selected technologies — patent applications, Japan or Switzerland?
Japan, at 15,250 Patents against 5,882 Patents in Switzerland as of 2023.
What is the difference in patents in oecd selected technologies — patent applications between Japan and Switzerland?
9,368 Patents, with Japan ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and Switzerland?
46 years are reported by both, from 1978 to 2023.
How do Japan and Switzerland rank globally for patents in oecd selected technologies — patent applications?
Japan ranks 3rd and Switzerland ranks 6th 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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Japan vs Switzerland: 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/japan/switzerland/

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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.