Patent applications, residents in Japan

Japan: Patent applications, residents was 222,452 in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)
222,452
Change on year
down 2.2%
World rank
3rd
of 135 countries
All-time high
387,364
in 2000
All-time low
165,730
in 1980
Years of data
40
1980–2021

Patent applications, residents in Japan, 1980–2021

0100.0k200.0k300.0k400.0k1980200020211980: 165.7k1983: 227.7k1984: 256.2k1985: 274.4k1986: 290.2k1987: 311.0k1988: 308.9k1989: 317.6k1990: 333.2k1991: 335.9k1992: 338.0k1993: 332.3k1994: 319.9k1995: 334.6k1996: 340.1k1997: 350.8k1998: 359.4k1999: 360.2k2000: 387.4k2001: 386.8k2002: 369.5k2003: 358.2k2004: 368.4k2005: 368.0k2006: 347.1k2007: 333.5k2008: 330.1k2009: 295.3k2010: 290.1k2011: 287.6k2012: 287.0k2013: 271.7k2014: 266.0k2015: 258.8k2016: 260.2k2017: 260.3k2018: 253.6k2019: 245.4k2020: 227.3k2021: 222.5k

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.

Analysis

Japan recorded 222,452 for patent applications, residents in 2021.

The figure is down 2.2% on the previous year and down 22.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, patent applications, residents in Japan peaked at 387,364 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 165,730, in 1980.

Japan ranks 3rd of 135 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 40 years of available data.

Patent applications, residents in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Patent applications, residents in Japan, 1980 to 2021.
Year Value Change
1980 165,730
1983 227,708 +37.4%
1984 256,205 +12.5%
1985 274,373 +7.1%
1986 290,202 +5.8%
1987 311,006 +7.2%
1988 308,908 -0.7%
1989 317,566 +2.8%
1990 333,230 +4.9%
1991 335,933 +0.8%
1992 338,019 +0.6%
1993 332,345 -1.7%
1994 319,938 -3.7%
1995 334,612 +4.6%
1996 340,101 +1.6%
1997 350,807 +3.1%
1998 359,381 +2.4%
1999 360,180 +0.2%
2000 387,364 +7.5%
2001 386,767 -0.2%
2002 369,458 -4.5%
2003 358,184 -3.1%
2004 368,416 +2.9%
2005 367,960 -0.1%
2006 347,060 -5.7%
2007 333,498 -3.9%
2008 330,110 -1.0%
2009 295,315 -10.5%
2010 290,081 -1.8%
2011 287,580 -0.9%
2012 287,013 -0.2%
2013 271,731 -5.3%
2014 265,959 -2.1%
2015 258,839 -2.7%
2016 260,244 +0.5%
2017 260,292 +0.0%
2018 253,630 -2.6%
2019 245,372 -3.3%
2020 227,348 -7.3%
2021 222,452 -2.2%

Japan compared with similar countries

  • Japan's 222,452 is above the median for high income countries, which is 397.5, 559.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
  • Japan's 222,452 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 875, 254.2× the median. (18 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Patent applications, residents in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1983 +37.4% 165,730 227,708

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 268,962 165,730 317,566 8
1990s 340,455 319,938 360,180 10
2000s 354,413 295,315 387,364 10
2010s 268,074 245,372 290,081 10
2020s 224,900 222,452 227,348 2

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 1 China 1.43 million compare
  2. 2 United States 262,244 compare
  3. 4 South Korea 186,245 compare
  4. 5 Germany 39,822 compare
  5. 6 India 26,267 compare

See the full ranking of 147 places →

More science & technology data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is patent applications, residents in Japan?
Patent applications, residents in Japan was 222,452 in 2021, according to 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.
What is the highest patent applications, residents recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 387,364 in 2000.
What is the lowest patent applications, residents recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 165,730 in 1980.
How does Japan rank for patent applications, residents?
Japan ranks 3rd out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
Is patent applications, residents rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is down 22.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Japan data come from?
The figures 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 part of Patent applications, residents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Patent applications, residents in Japan. 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 22 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/patent-applications-residents/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Patent applications, residents
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
147 places, 4,224 data points, 1980–2021
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.