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Japanese lanterns (photographed in Tokyo)

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Topic 09 of 18 · Country Index 2026

Japan: Democracy & Civil Liberties

Do people choose their rulers, and can they speak freely?

Japan is placed 15th of 198 countries on democracy & civil liberties in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Rule of Law 1.542 (2025); Civic Space Ratings 87.72 (2025).

Democracy & Civil Liberties

15th

of 198 countries placed

Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics

Country Index 2026, all topics23rd of 178 →

01The evidence

The 3 key statistics that decide it

Only these place Japan on democracy & civil liberties — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.

Why these keys

  1. Key 1 of 3

    Rule of Law

    World Bank Group

    Why it is a key: Whether the law binds those who write it — contract enforcement, property rights, the police and the courts. Where the other two keys measure who holds power and what people may do, this measures whether power itself is bound by rules.

    2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0

    1.542

    Rule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)

    Higher is better

    Japan: 1.542. Across the 211 countries in this edition, values run from -2.199 (Venezuela) to 2.012 (Finland); the world median is -0.102.

    World median
    -0.102
    Best in Eastern Asia
    1.542 Japan

    Each grey tick is one of 211 countries in the 2025 edition.

  2. Key 2 of 3

    Civic Space Ratings

    CIVICUS

    Why it is a key: Whether people can assemble, organise and speak in practice this year. Correlates 0.915 with V-Dem, just inside the 0.92 bar, and kept because a country can hold real elections while closing civic space between them.

    2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0

    87.72

    Civic space score (0–100)

    Higher is better

    Japan: 87.72. Across the 198 countries in this edition, values run from 2.17 (North Korea) to 100 (Kiribati); the world median is 50.46.

    World median
    50.46
    Best in Eastern Asia
    87.92 Taiwan

    Each grey tick is one of 198 countries in the 2025 edition.

  3. Key 3 of 3

    V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index

    V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg

    Why it is a key: Regime type as assessed by scholars: whether elections are genuine and whether rulers can be removed by them.

    2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0

    0.819

    Electoral democracy index (0–1)

    Higher is better

    Japan: 0.819. Across the 176 countries in this edition, values run from 0.016 (Saudi Arabia) to 0.913 (Denmark); the world median is 0.497.

    World median
    0.497
    Best in Eastern Asia
    0.819 Japan and South Korea

    Each grey tick is one of 176 countries in the 2025 edition.

03In context

Japan beside its neighbours

A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 198 countries on democracy & civil liberties, never a place within the region.

Eastern Asia
1st198thNot placed · 26 countries with too few key statisticsNo data

The whole world on democracy & civil liberties

Japan and Eastern Asia

Japan has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. The standing is each country’s place among all 198 placed on the topic; the other columns are the publishers’ own values, read at the edition the standing used.

CountryStandingRule of LawRule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)Civic Space RatingsCivic space score (0–100)V-Dem Electoral Democracy IndexElectoral democracy index (0–1)
Japan15th1.54287.720.819
Taiwan26th1.20187.920.801
South Korea36th1.19572.930.819
Mongolia=93rd-0.11659.330.535
Hong Kong133rd0.94115.860.151
China176th-0.4299.670.072
North Korea196th-1.4862.170.083
Macaunot placed0.855——

“—” means the publisher gives no reading for that country in that edition. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed.

Across Eastern Asia

Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 198.

Placed either side on democracy & civil liberties

The countries immediately above and below Japan in the topic’s list.

04Context, no vote

Where Japan is ahead of the world, and behind

14 more statistics filed under democracy & civil liberties, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.

Every country

Ahead of the world median13

Statistics on which Japan does better than the middle country measured.

  • Government Internet ShutdownsV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 1.0231.904▲ Improved since 2015

    Japan: 1.904 · world median 1.023 · Original latent estimate (≈ −4 to +2); higher = fewer shutdowns. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from -3.547 to 2.081; higher is better.

    Position 10th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Egalitarian Democracy IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.3210.758▲ Improved since 2015

    Japan: 0.758 · world median 0.321 · Egalitarian democracy index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.016 to 0.876; higher is better.

    Position 12th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Deliberative Democracy IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.3390.729▲ Improved since 2015

    Japan: 0.729 · world median 0.339 · Deliberative democracy index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.011 to 0.867; higher is better.

    Position 18th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Liberal Democracy IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.3530.734▲ Improved since 2015

    Japan: 0.734 · world median 0.353 · Liberal democracy index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.009 to 0.884; higher is better.

    Position 24th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Voice and AccountabilityWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median -0.0221.107No real change since 2015

    Japan: 1.107 · world median -0.022 · Voice and Accountability estimate (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from -2.348 to 1.825; higher is better.

    Position 31st of 206 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Physical Violence IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.790.949▼ Worsened since 2015

    Japan: 0.949 · world median 0.79 · Freedom from political killings and torture (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.053 to 0.989; higher is better.

    Position 31st of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Participatory Democracy IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.2980.526▲ Improved since 2015

    Japan: 0.526 · world median 0.298 · Participatory democracy index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.008 to 0.785; higher is better.

    Position 32nd of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Judicial Constraints on the Executive IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6760.881▲ Improved since 2015

    Japan: 0.881 · world median 0.676 · Judicial constraints on the executive index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 0.988; higher is better.

    Position 33rd of 175 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Military Dimension IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.10▲ Improved since 2015

    Japan: 0 · world median 0.1 · Military dimension index (0–1; higher = larger military role). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 1; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Freedom of Expression and Alternative Sources of Information IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6930.847▲ Improved since 2015

    Japan: 0.847 · world median 0.693 · Freedom of expression index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.013 to 0.98; higher is better.

    Position 43rd of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Government Censorship of the MediaV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.5651.431▲ Improved since 2015

    Japan: 1.431 · world median 0.565 · Original latent estimate (≈ −3 to +3.5); higher = less censorship. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from -3.017 to 3.489; higher is better.

    Position 44th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Women's Political Empowerment IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.7720.844▲ Improved since 2015

    Japan: 0.844 · world median 0.772 · Women's political empowerment index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.028 to 0.954; higher is better.

    Position 53rd of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.76▲ Improved since 2015

    Japan: 0.76 · world median 0.619 · Academic freedom index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.019 to 0.978; higher is better.

    Position 62nd of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

Behind the world median1

Statistics on which Japan does worse than the middle country measured.

  • Social Institutions and Gender IndexOECD · 2023 · world median 25.232.9No earlier reading

    Japan: 32.9 · world median 25.2 · SIGI score (0 = no discrimination, 100 = absolute). OECD, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 6.7 to 67.4; lower is better.

    Position 46th of 140 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

05Country Index 2026

Democracy & Civil Liberties among Japan’s 15 topics

Democracy & Civil Liberties is Japan’s 8th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first; each marker sits at the position divided by that topic’s field, so fields of different sizes compare fairly.

On the profile
  1. Work & Labour2nd of 182
  2. Economy & Innovation2nd of 176
  3. Health & Wellbeing6th of 200
  4. Digital & Technologyjoint 9th of 198
  5. Governance & Institutionsjoint 10th of 194
  6. Mobility & Trade10th of 147
  7. Peace & Security12th of 177
  8. Democracy & Civil Liberties15th of 198
  9. Development & Human Capital18th of 196
  10. Food & Agriculture47th of 175
  11. Poverty & Inequalityjoint 57th of 159
  12. Risk & Resilience70th of 192
  13. Energy79th of 193
  14. Gender & Equality118th of 183
  15. Environment & Sustainability161st of 181

No standing on Education & Knowledge: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.

06The top of the list

Who leads on democracy & civil liberties

The three countries placed highest of 198, and the leaders Japan can most readily be measured against.

All 198 countries
  1. 1

    Norway

    Northern Europe

    1st of 198 · 3 of 3 keys

    Photo: Ximonic , Simo Räsänen · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  2. =2

    Denmark

    Northern Europe

    Joint 2nd of 198 · 3 of 3 keys

    Photo: User:Aconcagua · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  3. =2

    Liechtenstein

    Western Europe

    Joint 2nd of 198 · 2 of 3 keys

    Photo: Guido Radig,Inkey · CC BY 3.0, greyscale

Placed highest nearby

  1. Highest in Asia

    Japan15th3/3 keys

Positions out of 198 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.

07Analysis

Charts and analysis about Japan and democracy & civil liberties

All charts

08Questions

Japan on democracy & civil liberties: questions answered

Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.

How does Japan rank on democracy & civil liberties?

Japan is placed 15th of 198 countries on Democracy & Civil Liberties in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics (Rule of Law, Civic Space Ratings and V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.

What is the latest Rule of Law figure for Japan?

1.542 in 2025 (rule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was -0.102.

What is the latest Civic Space Ratings figure for Japan?

87.72 in 2025 (civic space score (0–100)), according to CIVICUS. The world median in the same edition was 50.46.

How have Japan’s democracy & civil liberties figures changed?

Rule of Law rose from 1.254 in 2000 to 1.542 in 2025; V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index fell from 0.838 in 2000 to 0.819 in 2025.

09Keep reading

Explore further

Democracy & Civil Liberties

Japan, topic by topic

10Method

Method, sources and how to cite

What this topic does not measure

This topic does not judge whether a government is competent or honest — that is Governance & Institutions — and it does not measure economic freedom. It also cannot capture everything about a political system in a single place in a list, which is why every key behind it links to the publisher's full edition.

About democracy & civil liberties, in full

How the Democracy & Civil Liberties standing is decided, step by step

A standing is a place in a list, not a mark out of anything. This one is part of the Country Index 2026, and it is worked out like this.

  1. A few key indicators decide it; the rest are context. 3 indicators on this topic are keys and 14 are charted alongside them without a vote. That split is the point: if every statistic voted, importing five more of one kind would quietly change what the topic is about.
  2. Each key is read at one edition. All of them describe 2025.
  3. Every country’s published value is turned into a place within that one key’s own field, and then expressed as a share of that field — how far down this key’s list the country sits, rather than how many countries are above it. Keys where a higher published number is worse (terrorism, hunger, disaster risk) are turned round first, so the good end is always the same end.
  4. Dividing by the field first is the whole reason this works. A place carries the size of its list inside it: 22nd of 44 and 108th of 215 are the same showing, and averaging the numbers 22 and 108 says loudly that they are not. Fields on this site run from about 44 countries to about 215, so averaging raw places would reward a country for happening to be measured in small ones. Dividing each place by its own field removes the size and leaves only the showing.
  5. The shares are averaged, plainly. One key, one vote — no key is weighted above another, because any weighting would be this site’s opinion presented as a measurement. Countries are then put in order by that average, and the average itself is never published. It is our arithmetic with nothing anchoring it, so printing it would invite it to be read as a measurement somebody made. The position it produces, the band, and the keys it was built from are all published instead — every one of them checkable against the tables on this page.
  6. A country needs 2 of this topic’s 3 keys — half, rounded up, and never fewer than 2. A standing built from one reading, printed beside one built from four, is two different things sharing a column heading. 198 countries clear the bar here.
  7. A key has to earn its vote every edition. It must measure at least 120 countries (below that it starts measuring who was surveyed rather than the world), it must not have more than 10% of its field tied at either end, and it must not repeat another key in the same topic — Spearman correlation above 0.92 counts as repeating. A topic needs at least 2 surviving keys to place anyone at all; this one has 3.
  8. A standing is relative, and the grouping is ours. It says where a country places against the others measured alongside it, so it moves when they move. The publishers listed on this page did not agree to be read together, and each measures its subject its own way: the underlying numbers are theirs, the ordering on top is this site’s — the same method as the rest of the Country Index, applied to one subject instead of all of them.

The key statistics and their licences

The other 14 statistics on this page come from 3 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.

The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photographs

Japan’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). Japan: Democracy & Civil Liberties — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/japan/democracy

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