International market competitiveness of Japanese green innovation technologies: an analysis using patent data

International market competitiveness of Japanese environmental technologies does not seem to reflect the level of technological innovation. This study investigates whether there actually is a gap between the international market competitiveness and the strength of green technological innovation in Japan. An analysis of patent data of 2006 and 2012 from the Japan Patent Office on green technologies of Japan, Europe, the USA, Korea, and China shows that both in 2006 and 2012, the overall international market competitiveness of Japanese green technologies was low in relation to the pace of technological innovation in Japan. In contrast, the international market competitiveness of European and US green technologies was higher overall in relation to the pace of innovation in these countries. This study also found that the gap between international market competitiveness and technological innovation in Japanese green technologies narrowed between 2006 and 2012, due to a significant decline in Japanese technological innovation.