Which has higher freedom of expression index, Japan or Vanuatu?

Vanuatu, at 0.848 against 0.847 in Japan as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and Vanuatu?

126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Japan vs Vanuatu: Freedom of Expression Index

Japan

0.847

in 2025

Vanuatu

0.848

in 2025

Japan rank

43rd

Vanuatu rank

42nd

Freedom of Expression Index over time

Japan
Vanuatu

How they compare

Vanuatu currently reports 0.848 against 0.847 in Japan, a difference of 0.001.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 126 shared years of data; in 1900 it was Vanuatu ahead.

Japan ranks 43rd and Vanuatu ranks 42nd of 176 countries.

Across the 13 decades both report, Japan averaged higher in 6 and Vanuatu in 7.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Japan	Vanuatu	Difference	Ahead
1900s	0.4576	0.4912	0.0336	Vanuatu
1910s	0.4821	0.505	0.0229	Vanuatu
1920s	0.4413	0.505	0.0637	Vanuatu
1930s	0.2913	0.525	0.2337	Vanuatu
1940s	0.3659	0.546	0.1801	Vanuatu
1950s	0.879	0.5518	0.3272	Japan
1960s	0.918	0.553	0.365	Japan
1970s	0.923	0.6616	0.2614	Japan
1980s	0.922	0.899	0.023	Japan
1990s	0.923	0.9079	0.0151	Japan
2000s	0.9231	0.91	0.0131	Japan
2010s	0.8834	0.9125	0.0291	Vanuatu
2020s	0.851	0.8923	0.0413	Vanuatu

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher freedom of expression index, Japan or Vanuatu?: Vanuatu, at 0.848 against 0.847 in Japan as of 2025.
What is the difference in freedom of expression index between Japan and Vanuatu?: 0.001, with Vanuatu ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and Vanuatu?: 126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.
How do Japan and Vanuatu rank globally for freedom of expression index?: Japan ranks 43rd and Vanuatu ranks 42nd of 176 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Japan vs Vanuatu: Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 07 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/compare/freedom-of-expression-index/japan/vanuatu/

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About this data

Indicator: Freedom of Expression Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,035 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 30 October 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which people can discuss political matters at home and in the public sphere, the press, and media are free and can present different political perspectives, and the freedom of academic and cultural expression.