Patent Index 2024: Japan ranks 3rd in European patent applications

Japanese companies excel across key technological sectors

Japanese companies remain leaders in multiple high-growth industries. Japan's leading field for European patent applications, electrical machinery, apparatus, energy,  saw a total of 2,077 Japanese patent applications, an 8.4% increase compared to 2023. In the area of battery technologies (an important sub-field of electrical machinery), Japanese companies filed 20% more patent applications at the EPO in 2024 compared to 2023. Japan's second most important field, transport  – which covers automotive, aircraft/aerospace and rail technologies, also experienced growth from Japan, with 1,357 applications, marking a 3.7% rise. The number 3 field was computer technology, with Japanese companies filing 20% more patent applications in several AI-related sub-fields..

Sony Group among the Top 10 in patent applications in Europe

Four Japanese companies ranked among the top 25 patent filers at the EPO. Sony Group led the way with 1,307 applications, securing the 9th position worldwide, up from 10^th in 2023. It was followed by Panasonic with 990 filings, Canon with 760 applications, while Hitachi contributed 653. Sony was no. 7 applicant overall at the EPO in computer technology. 13^th in measurement and 14^th in digital communication. Toyota also made significant strides, ranking no. 4 for vehicle technology (an important sub-field of transport) and second in electric propulsion (electric vehicle) technology, with a notable 12.7% increase in patent applications compared to the previous year.

Japan also showed continued strength in innovation in battery technologies; in the battery-related sub-field of electrical machinery, apparatus, and energy, Japan placed three companies in the global top 10: Panasonic (4th place, 279 patents), Prime Planet Energy (8th place, 85 patents), and Toyota Motor(10th place).

Tokyo 1^st in city ranking: Japan's innovation hub and leading patent contributor

The Tokyo metropolitan area plays a pivotal role in driving Japan's global technological presence, and it is Japan's leading prefecture with a total of 11,592 patent applications at the EPO.. Tokyo is also the second largest region worldwide for European patent filings at the EPO, behind the US state of California and ahead of Guangdong (CN), Île-de-France (FR) and Bavaria (DE). Tokyo also leads the worldwide city ranking at the EPO.  Its dominance in patent filings spans a diverse range of industries, including electronics, AI, clean energy, and mobility solutions. Following Tokyo, Osaka ranks second among prefectures, with 2,979 patent applications, while Aichi takes third place with 1,447 applications, marking an impressive 21.9% growth. 

Unitary Patent gains in popularity in its second year

The Unitary Patent system, launched in 2023, continues to gain momentum, offering innovators from around the world simpler and more accessible patent protection across 18 EU Member States with a single request to the EPO. Unitary protection was requested for 25.6% of all European patents granted by the EPO in 2024 totalling over 28,000 requests. Patentees from EPO member states had the highest uptake rate, with 36.5% of their European patents transformed into Unitary Patents, followed by those from Republic of Korea (18.9%), China (17.9%), the US (16.0%), and Japan (7.9%, up from 4.9% in 2023).

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About the EPO
With 6 300 staff members, the European Patent Office (EPO) is one of the largest public service institutions in Europe. Headquartered in Munich with offices in Berlin, Brussels, The Hague and Vienna, the EPO was founded with the aim of strengthening co-operation on patents in Europe. Through the EPO's centralised patent granting procedure, inventors are able to obtain high-quality patent protection in up to 45 countries, covering a market of some 700 million people. The EPO is also the world's leading authority in patent information and patent searching.

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