Decomposition analysis of green chemical technology inventions from 1971 to 2010 in Japan

Green chemistry plays an important role in achieving sustainable development. This study examines the determinant factors for technology invention related to green chemistry in Japan using patent application data and a decomposition analysis framework. Our main findings are that the number of green chemical technologies applied to production processes have increased because of the scale-up of overall research activities and increased priority. Additionally, the number of patent applications for green chemical technology-related product design and renewable energy increased mainly because of increased research priority. The differences in determinants among types of green chemical technology inventions are useful for formulating an effective policy to promote innovation in green chemical technology.