Japan’s innovation engine ran quietly confident in 2024: the country ranked 13th in the Global Innovation Index, underpinned by world-class business sophistication and strong knowledge outputs. At the city-region level, Tokyo–Yokohama again emerged as the world’s largest science-and-technology cluster signalling that deep industrial R&D and academic horsepower continue to concentrate in Japan’s core hubs.
On the patent front, Japanese applicants filed 48,397 international (PCT) applications in 2024 (-1.2% year-on-year), keeping Japan among the top origins for globally oriented protection. Inside Japan, publication activity reflected the country’s strengths in mobility, electronics and advanced manufacturing: based on JPO publications issued in 2024, Toyota and Canon sat atop the corporate tables, with Mitsubishi, Panasonic, NEC and Toshiba prominent among the year’s most active filers.
This report ranks the top domestic companies in Japan by patents published in 2024 offering a clean view of who is shaping Japan’s near-term innovation story.
Top Leading Japanese Companies in 2024
| Rank | Company | Patent Published in 2024 | Patent Published in 2023 | YoY Change(%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Group | 12660 | 12297 | 0.029519 | |
| Canon Kk | 10694 | 10524 | 0.016154 | |
| Mitsubishi Corporation | 10219 | 11057 | -0.075789 | |
| Panasonic | 7662 | 7182 | 0.066834 | |
| Sumitomo Group | 7040 | 7579 | -0.071118 | |
| Toshiba Corporation | 6504 | 6203 | 0.048525 | |
| Sanyo Bussan Kk | 6323 | 7200 | -0.121806 | |
| Sankyo Co Ltd | 5621 | 4620 | 0.216667 | |
| NEC Corporation | 4627 | 5070 | -0.087377 | |
| Hitachi | 4316 | 4469 | -0.034236 | |
| Daiichi Shokai Kk | 3864 | 2586 | 0.4942 | |
| Denso Corporation | 3623 | 4631 | -0.217664 | |
| Seiko Epson | 3587 | 3631 | -0.012118 | |
| Honda Motor | 3465 | 4135 | -0.162031 | |
| Fujifilm | 3178 | 4395 | -0.276906 | |
| Kyocera Corporation | 2859 | 2830 | 0.010247 | |
| Ricoh Co Ltd | 2746 | 3116 | -0.118742 | |
| Semicon Energy Lab Co Ltd | 2301 | 2194 | 0.048769 | |
| Brother Industries Ltd | 2172 | 2247 | -0.033378 | |
| Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corporation | 2140 | 2629 | -0.186002 | |
| Toppan Holdings | 2125 | 1994 | 0.065697 | |
| Sony Group | 2074 | 2818 | -0.264017 | |
| Dai Nippon Printing Co Ltd | 2041 | 2543 | -0.197405 | |
| Sharp Kk | 1774 | 2043 | -0.131669 | |
| Murata Manufacturing | 1745 | 1754 | -0.005131 | |
| JFE Steel | 1739 | 1747 | -0.004579 | |
| Nippon Steel Corporation | 1711 | 1987 | -0.138903 | |
| Tokyo Electron Ltd | 1665 | 1651 | 0.00848 | |
| Konica Minolta | 1661 | 1705 | -0.025806 | |
| Sammy Corporation | 1601 | 1701 | -0.058789 | |
| Yazaki Corporation | 1601 | 1472 | 0.087636 | |
| Fuji Electric Co Ltd | 1462 | – | – | |
| Kao Corporation | 1448 | 1709 | -0.152721 | |
| Daikin Industries | 1437 | 1680 | -0.144643 | |
| Fujitsu Ltd | 1417 | 1998 | -0.290791 | |
| Nissan Motor | 1417 | 1511 | -0.06221 | |
| Universal Entertainment Corporation | 1372 | 1701 | -0.193416 | |
| Kubota Corporation | 1346 | 1441 | -0.065926 | |
| Kyoraku Co Ltd | 1292 | 1230 | 0.050407 | |
| Disco Corporation | 1270 | 1303 | -0.025326 | |
| Subaru Corporation | 1254 | 1407 | -0.108742 | |
| Sansei R&D Kk | 1239 | 2128 | -0.417763 | |
| Astemo Ltd | 1208 | 1490 | -0.189262 | |
| Casio Computer Co Ltd | 1153 | 1252 | -0.079073 | |
| Aisin Corporation | 1131 | 1121 | 0.008921 | |
| Nitto Denko | 1108 | 1177 | -0.058624 | |
| Omron Corporation | 1105 | 1135 | -0.026432 | |
| Sekisui Chemical Co Ltd | 1056 | 1145 | -0.077729 | |
| Ntt Docomo | 1038 | 1236 | -0.160194 | |
| KDDI Corporation | 1036 | 923 | 0.122427 |
Japan’s patent landscape in 2024 paints a vivid picture of continuity and change. At the top, automotive giants and electronics leaders continue to dominate, with Toyota, Canon, Mitsubishi and Panasonic anchoring the list. Together, they underscore Japan’s traditional strengths in mobility, imaging and semiconductors sectors that remain the backbone of the nation’s innovation economy.
Adding a fresh layer to this picture are three start-ups. KIOXIA Corporation, signalling Japan’s determination to remain central to the global semiconductor supply chain. Prime Planet Energy & Solutions, the Toyota–Panasonic joint venture, accelerated filings in battery technology, echoing Japan’s national ambition to lead the electrification wave. And PayPay Co. Ltd., a fintech rising star, made its presence felt by carving out space in a list traditionally dominated by industrial titans.
Behind every breakthrough in Japan, there’s an inventor making it happen. Check out our Top 50 Inventors in Japan and discover the minds reshaping industries, both domestically and globally.
While corporations continue to steer Japan’s innovation engine, they are not driving alone. Behind the scenes, universities have been steadily shaping the pipeline of ideas and talent that fuel these industries. The next section highlights the Top 50 domestic universities whose intellectual output is redefining the contours of Japan’s innovation landscape.
Which Universities Are Driving Innovation in Japan Through Patents in 2024?
| University | Patents |
| National Institute Of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology | 676 |
| University Of Tokyo | 613 |
| Osaka University | 490 |
| Tohoku University | 470 |
| National Agriculture and Food Research Organization | 468 |
| Kyoto University | 329 |
| Kyushu University | 241 |
| Hokkaido University | 202 |
| Institute Of Science Tokyo | 195 |
| Keio University | 188 |
| The Institute Of Physical & Chemical Research | 167 |
| Hiroshima University | 161 |
| University of Tsukuba | 155 |
| Shinshu University | 155 |
| Waseda University | 140 |
| Kobe University | 132 |
| Tokyo University Of Science | 117 |
| Chiba University | 113 |
| Tokyo Institute of Technology | 110 |
| Kanazawa University | 105 |
| Nagoya Institute Of Technology | 102 |
| Yokohama National University | 89 |
| Kansai University | 88 |
| Shizuoka University | 87 |
| University Of Electro-Communications | 77 |
| Central Research Institute Of Electric Power Industry | 74 |
| University Of Tokushima | 72 |
| Yamaguchi University | 70 |
| Kagoshima University | 65 |
| Meijo University | 63 |
| Niigata University | 62 |
| Nihon University | 59 |
| University Of Fukui | 58 |
| Tottori University | 55 |
| Yamagata University | 55 |
| Doshisha University | 54 |
| University Of Miyazaki | 54 |
| University Of Toyama | 53 |
| Tokai University | 52 |
| The Kitasato Institute | 50 |
| Toyohashi University Of Technology | 50 |
| Okayama University | 50 |
| University Of Yamanashi | 49 |
| Iwate University | 49 |
| Hyogo University | 48 |
| Mie University | 47 |
| Hirosaki University | 44 |
| Gunma University | 44 |
From corporate boardrooms to university labs, Japan’s 2024 patent landscape reflects a quiet but decisive evolution. Established players are giving way to agile challengers and academic institutions are stepping up with commercially relevant IP. It’s this ability to grow deep in emerging tech while staying broad across sectors that continues to set Japan apart on the global innovation stage.