Democracy Index in Japan
Japan: Democracy Index was 10 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
10
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 168 countries
All-time high
10
in 1952
All-time low
-10
in 1800
Years of data
212
1800–2018
Democracy Index in Japan, 1800–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Japan recorded 10 for democracy index in 2018. That is the highest value across all 212 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in Japan peaked at 10 in 1952 and was at its lowest, -10, in 1800.
Japan ranks 1st of 168 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Democracy Index in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1800 | -10 | — |
| 1801 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1802 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1803 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1804 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1805 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1806 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1807 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1808 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1809 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1810 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1811 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1812 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1813 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1814 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1815 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1816 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1817 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1818 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1819 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1820 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1821 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1822 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1823 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1824 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1825 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1826 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1827 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1828 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1829 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1830 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1831 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1832 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1833 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1834 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1835 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1836 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1837 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1838 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1839 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1840 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1841 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1842 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1843 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1844 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1845 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1846 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1847 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1848 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1849 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1850 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1851 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1852 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1853 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1854 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1855 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1856 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1857 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1858 | -9 | -10.0% |
| 1859 | -8 | -11.1% |
| 1860 | -7 | -12.5% |
| 1861 | -6 | -14.3% |
| 1862 | -5 | -16.7% |
| 1863 | -4 | -20.0% |
| 1864 | -3 | -25.0% |
| 1865 | -2 | -33.3% |
| 1866 | -1 | -50.0% |
| 1867 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1868 | 1 | — |
| 1869 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1901 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 10 | +900.0% |
| 1953 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 10 | +0.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 10 is above the median for high income countries, which is 10, 1.0× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Japan's 10 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 7.5, 1.3× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1810s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1820s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1830s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1840s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1850s | -9.7 | -10 | -8 | 10 |
| 1860s | -2.6 | -7 | 1 | 10 |
| 1870s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1880s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1890s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1900s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1910s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1920s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1930s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1940s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 1950s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
| 1960s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1970s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1980s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1990s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 2000s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 2010s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 1 Australia 10 compare
- 1 Austria 10 compare
- 1 Canada 10 compare
- 1 Cape Verde 10 compare
- 1 Chile 10 compare
- 1 Costa Rica 10 compare
- 1 Cyprus 10 compare
- 1 Denmark 10 compare
- 1 Finland 10 compare
- 1 France 10 compare
- 1 Germany 10 compare
- 1 Greece 10 compare
- 1 Hungary 10 compare
- 1 Ireland 10 compare
- 1 Italy 10 compare
- 1 Lithuania 10 compare
- 1 Luxembourg 10 compare
- 1 Mauritius 10 compare
- 1 Mongolia 10 compare
- 1 Netherlands 10 compare
- 1 New Zealand 10 compare
- 1 Norway 10 compare
- 1 Poland 10 compare
- 1 Portugal 10 compare
- 1 Slovakia 10 compare
- 1 Slovenia 10 compare
- 1 Spain 10 compare
- 1 Sweden 10 compare
- 1 Switzerland 10 compare
- 1 Taiwan 10 compare
- 1 Uruguay 10 compare
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 democracy index in Japan?
- Democracy index in Japan was 10 in 2018, according to Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest democracy index recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 10 in 1952.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was -10 in 1800.
- How does Japan rank for democracy index?
- Japan ranks 1st out of 168 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 212 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
It combines information on the extent to which open, multi-party, and competitive elections choose a chief executive who faces comprehensive institutional constraints, and political participation is competitive. It ranges from -10 to 10 (fully democratic).