Activity of Research and Development of Companies Estimated from a Change of the Number of Patent Applications in each Prefecture

Abstract

A change of the number of patent applications is investigated in order to estimate activity of research and development of companies in each prefecture. The number of patent applications in most prefectures tends to decrease through these thirteen years (2000-2012). Most prefectures of North Tohoku, San-in, Shikoku and Kyushu district have smaller number of the patent applications. The Universities located in these prefectures have smaller number of cooperative researches between a university and a company. This result suggests that activity of research and development of not only a company but also the whole area including a university are weak in these regions. From the viewpoint of creation of the local innovation, it is supposed that an innovation power is weak particularly in these regions. It will be thought that some policy measures depending on the local situation are necessary in the future.