In 2024, Canon (Canon-CNA.com) ranked ninth in the number of patents registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), placing it in the world's top 10 for 41 consecutive years, according to IFI CLAIMS Patent Services, a US-based patent research firm. Moreover, Canon ranked first among Japanese companies for the 20th consecutive year.

Canon emphasizes the importance of obtaining patents not only in Japan but also internationally. It promotes patent filing based on regional business strategies, as well as technology advancement and product trends. The United States, with its concentration of high-tech companies and its large market scale, is a particularly important region in terms of business expansion and technology alliances.

Top 15 companies by number of US patents obtained in 2024*

*Numbers of patents based on figures released by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services (as of January 15, 2025).

Canon makes maximum use of its intellectual property portfolio to enhance corporate value by supporting the evolution of management and business while examining various environmental changes to foresee future social and economic trends. In addition to focusing on the acquisition of intellectual property rights related to core business competencies, Canon devotes significant resources to the acquisition of intellectual property rights that anticipate future developments, including those related to versatile technologies in such fields as AI and IoT, industry standards, and the environment, to create new businesses. Leveraging its intellectual property portfolio, Canon is working to boost its business expansion by securing both its current competitive advantage and the freedom to conduct business in the future, while obtaining licensing revenues to compensate development costs.

Canon will continue its intellectual property initiatives with the goal of supporting its businesses, providing products and services with higher added value, and contributing to a better society.