Age of full democracy in Japan
Japan: Age of full democracy was 72 years in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Age of full democracy in Japan, 1954–2025
Source: Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for age of full democracy in Japan is 72 years, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 72 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 16.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age of full democracy in Japan peaked at 72 years in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1 years, in 1954.
Japan ranks 15th of 89 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Age of full democracy in Japan, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 | 1 years | — |
| 1955 | 2 years | +100.0% |
| 1956 | 3 years | +50.0% |
| 1957 | 4 years | +33.3% |
| 1958 | 5 years | +25.0% |
| 1959 | 6 years | +20.0% |
| 1960 | 7 years | +16.7% |
| 1961 | 8 years | +14.3% |
| 1962 | 9 years | +12.5% |
| 1963 | 10 years | +11.1% |
| 1964 | 11 years | +10.0% |
| 1965 | 12 years | +9.1% |
| 1966 | 13 years | +8.3% |
| 1967 | 14 years | +7.7% |
| 1968 | 15 years | +7.1% |
| 1969 | 16 years | +6.7% |
| 1970 | 17 years | +6.2% |
| 1971 | 18 years | +5.9% |
| 1972 | 19 years | +5.6% |
| 1973 | 20 years | +5.3% |
| 1974 | 21 years | +5.0% |
| 1975 | 22 years | +4.8% |
| 1976 | 23 years | +4.5% |
| 1977 | 24 years | +4.3% |
| 1978 | 25 years | +4.2% |
| 1979 | 26 years | +4.0% |
| 1980 | 27 years | +3.8% |
| 1981 | 28 years | +3.7% |
| 1982 | 29 years | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 30 years | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 31 years | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 32 years | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 33 years | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 34 years | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 35 years | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 36 years | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 37 years | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 38 years | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 39 years | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 40 years | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 41 years | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 42 years | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 43 years | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 44 years | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 45 years | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 46 years | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 47 years | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 48 years | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 49 years | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 50 years | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 51 years | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 52 years | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 53 years | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 54 years | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 55 years | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 56 years | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 57 years | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 58 years | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 59 years | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 60 years | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 61 years | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 62 years | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 63 years | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 64 years | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 65 years | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 66 years | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 67 years | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 68 years | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 69 years | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 70 years | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 71 years | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 72 years | +1.4% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 72 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 57 years, 1.3× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Japan's 72 years is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 47 years, 1.5× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Age of full democracy in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | +100.0% | 1 years | 2 years |
| 1956 | +50.0% | 2 years | 3 years |
| 1957 | +33.3% | 3 years | 4 years |
| 1958 | +25.0% | 4 years | 5 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.5 years | 1 years | 6 years | 6 |
| 1960s | 11.5 years | 7 years | 16 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 21.5 years | 17 years | 26 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 31.5 years | 27 years | 36 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 41.5 years | 37 years | 46 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.5 years | 47 years | 56 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.5 years | 57 years | 66 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.5 years | 67 years | 72 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More social development data for Japan
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 42,450 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 56 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 56 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0003 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age of full democracy in Japan?
- Age of full democracy in Japan was 72 years in 2025, according to Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age of full democracy recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 72 years in 2025.
- What is the lowest age of full democracy recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 years in 1954.
- How does Japan rank for age of full democracy?
- Japan ranks 15th out of 89 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age of full democracy rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Age of full democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Number of consecutive years in a full democracy.