Japan vs United States: Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent applications

Japan
15,250 Patents
in 2023
United States
32,970 Patents
in 2023
Japan rank
3rd
United States rank
1st

Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent applications over time

  • Japan
  • United States
010.0k20.0k30.0k40.0k197820002023

How they compare

United States currently reports 32,970 Patents against 15,250 Patents in Japan, a difference of 17,720 Patents.

That makes United States's figure about 2.2 times Japan's.

Across all 46 years both countries report, United States has been ahead every year.

Japan ranks 3rd and United States ranks 1st of 88 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Japan United States Difference Ahead
1970s 395.46 Patents 2,292 Patents 1,897 Patents United States
1980s 5,879 Patents 10,411 Patents 4,531 Patents United States
1990s 13,013 Patents 21,673 Patents 8,660 Patents United States
2000s 21,709 Patents 34,795 Patents 13,086 Patents United States
2010s 21,813 Patents 39,615 Patents 17,802 Patents United States
2020s 19,033 Patents 40,486 Patents 21,453 Patents United States

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher patents in oecd selected technologies — patent applications, Japan or United States?
United States, at 32,970 Patents against 15,250 Patents in Japan as of 2023.
What is the difference in patents in oecd selected technologies — patent applications between Japan and United States?
17,720 Patents, with United States ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and United States?
46 years are reported by both, from 1978 to 2023.
How do Japan and United States rank globally for patents in oecd selected technologies — patent applications?
Japan ranks 3rd and United States ranks 1st 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 United States: Patents in OECD selected technologies — Patent applications. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/patents-in-oecd-selected-technologies-patent-applications/japan/united-states-2/

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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.