What is freedom of expression index in Japan?

Freedom of expression index in Japan was 0.847 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Japan?

The highest recorded value was 0.924 in 2009.

What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Japan?

The lowest recorded value was 0.095 in 1940.

How does Japan rank for freedom of expression index?

Japan ranks 43rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Japan?

Over the last ten years it is down 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Japan data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Freedom of Expression Index in Japan

Name: Freedom of Expression Index in Japan
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Japan: Freedom of Expression Index was 0.847 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.847

Change on year

down 0.2%

World rank

43rd

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.924

in 2009

All-time low

0.095

in 1940

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Freedom of Expression Index in Japan, 1789–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Japan recorded 0.847 for freedom of expression index in 2025.

That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 2.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, freedom of expression index in Japan peaked at 0.924 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 0.095, in 1940.

Japan ranks 43rd of 176 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Freedom of Expression Index in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Freedom of Expression Index in Japan, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.129	—
1790	0.143	+10.9%
1791	0.143	+0.0%
1792	0.143	+0.0%
1793	0.143	+0.0%
1794	0.143	+0.0%
1795	0.143	+0.0%
1796	0.143	+0.0%
1797	0.143	+0.0%
1798	0.143	+0.0%
1799	0.143	+0.0%
1800	0.143	+0.0%
1801	0.143	+0.0%
1802	0.143	+0.0%
1803	0.143	+0.0%
1804	0.143	+0.0%
1805	0.143	+0.0%
1806	0.143	+0.0%
1807	0.143	+0.0%
1808	0.143	+0.0%
1809	0.143	+0.0%
1810	0.143	+0.0%
1811	0.143	+0.0%
1812	0.143	+0.0%
1813	0.143	+0.0%
1814	0.143	+0.0%
1815	0.143	+0.0%
1816	0.143	+0.0%
1817	0.143	+0.0%
1818	0.143	+0.0%
1819	0.143	+0.0%
1820	0.143	+0.0%
1821	0.143	+0.0%
1822	0.143	+0.0%
1823	0.143	+0.0%
1824	0.143	+0.0%
1825	0.143	+0.0%
1826	0.143	+0.0%
1827	0.143	+0.0%
1828	0.143	+0.0%
1829	0.143	+0.0%
1830	0.143	+0.0%
1831	0.143	+0.0%
1832	0.143	+0.0%
1833	0.143	+0.0%
1834	0.143	+0.0%
1835	0.143	+0.0%
1836	0.143	+0.0%
1837	0.143	+0.0%
1838	0.143	+0.0%
1839	0.143	+0.0%
1840	0.143	+0.0%
1841	0.143	+0.0%
1842	0.143	+0.0%
1843	0.143	+0.0%
1844	0.143	+0.0%
1845	0.143	+0.0%
1846	0.143	+0.0%
1847	0.143	+0.0%
1848	0.143	+0.0%
1849	0.143	+0.0%
1850	0.165	+15.4%
1851	0.165	+0.0%
1852	0.165	+0.0%
1853	0.165	+0.0%
1854	0.165	+0.0%
1855	0.165	+0.0%
1856	0.165	+0.0%
1857	0.165	+0.0%
1858	0.165	+0.0%
1859	0.165	+0.0%
1860	0.165	+0.0%
1861	0.165	+0.0%
1862	0.165	+0.0%
1863	0.165	+0.0%
1864	0.165	+0.0%
1865	0.165	+0.0%
1866	0.165	+0.0%
1867	0.165	+0.0%
1868	0.22	+33.3%
1869	0.29	+31.8%
1870	0.379	+30.7%
1871	0.379	+0.0%
1872	0.379	+0.0%
1873	0.379	+0.0%
1874	0.379	+0.0%
1875	0.379	+0.0%
1876	0.379	+0.0%
1877	0.379	+0.0%
1878	0.379	+0.0%
1879	0.379	+0.0%
1880	0.379	+0.0%
1881	0.379	+0.0%
1882	0.379	+0.0%
1883	0.379	+0.0%
1884	0.379	+0.0%
1885	0.379	+0.0%
1886	0.379	+0.0%
1887	0.379	+0.0%
1888	0.379	+0.0%
1889	0.379	+0.0%
1890	0.407	+7.4%
1891	0.407	+0.0%
1892	0.407	+0.0%
1893	0.407	+0.0%
1894	0.407	+0.0%
1895	0.407	+0.0%
1896	0.407	+0.0%
1897	0.407	+0.0%
1898	0.407	+0.0%
1899	0.407	+0.0%
1900	0.444	+9.1%
1901	0.464	+4.5%
1902	0.464	+0.0%
1903	0.464	+0.0%
1904	0.45	-3.0%
1905	0.45	+0.0%
1906	0.46	+2.2%
1907	0.46	+0.0%
1908	0.46	+0.0%
1909	0.46	+0.0%
1910	0.468	+1.7%
1911	0.483	+3.2%
1912	0.483	+0.0%
1913	0.483	+0.0%
1914	0.483	+0.0%
1915	0.483	+0.0%
1916	0.483	+0.0%
1917	0.483	+0.0%
1918	0.486	+0.6%
1919	0.486	+0.0%
1920	0.486	+0.0%
1921	0.478	-1.6%
1922	0.478	+0.0%
1923	0.478	+0.0%
1924	0.478	+0.0%
1925	0.435	-9.0%
1926	0.395	-9.2%
1927	0.395	+0.0%
1928	0.395	+0.0%
1929	0.395	+0.0%
1930	0.376	-4.8%
1931	0.376	+0.0%
1932	0.376	+0.0%
1933	0.362	-3.7%
1934	0.343	-5.2%
1935	0.314	-8.5%
1936	0.303	-3.5%
1937	0.17	-43.9%
1938	0.149	-12.4%
1939	0.144	-3.4%
1940	0.095	-34.0%
1941	0.095	+0.0%
1942	0.095	+0.0%
1943	0.095	+0.0%
1944	0.095	+0.0%
1945	0.12	+26.3%
1946	0.665	+454.2%
1947	0.797	+19.8%
1948	0.797	+0.0%
1949	0.805	+1.0%
1950	0.805	+0.0%
1951	0.805	+0.0%
1952	0.812	+0.9%
1953	0.889	+9.5%
1954	0.889	+0.0%
1955	0.918	+3.3%
1956	0.918	+0.0%
1957	0.918	+0.0%
1958	0.918	+0.0%
1959	0.918	+0.0%
1960	0.918	+0.0%
1961	0.918	+0.0%
1962	0.918	+0.0%
1963	0.918	+0.0%
1964	0.918	+0.0%
1965	0.918	+0.0%
1966	0.918	+0.0%
1967	0.918	+0.0%
1968	0.918	+0.0%
1969	0.918	+0.0%
1970	0.923	+0.5%
1971	0.923	+0.0%
1972	0.923	+0.0%
1973	0.923	+0.0%
1974	0.923	+0.0%
1975	0.923	+0.0%
1976	0.923	+0.0%
1977	0.923	+0.0%
1978	0.923	+0.0%
1979	0.923	+0.0%
1980	0.923	+0.0%
1981	0.923	+0.0%
1982	0.923	+0.0%
1983	0.923	+0.0%
1984	0.923	+0.0%
1985	0.921	-0.2%
1986	0.921	+0.0%
1987	0.921	+0.0%
1988	0.921	+0.0%
1989	0.921	+0.0%
1990	0.923	+0.2%
1991	0.923	+0.0%
1992	0.923	+0.0%
1993	0.923	+0.0%
1994	0.923	+0.0%
1995	0.923	+0.0%
1996	0.923	+0.0%
1997	0.923	+0.0%
1998	0.923	+0.0%
1999	0.923	+0.0%
2000	0.923	+0.0%
2001	0.923	+0.0%
2002	0.923	+0.0%
2003	0.923	+0.0%
2004	0.923	+0.0%
2005	0.923	+0.0%
2006	0.923	+0.0%
2007	0.923	+0.0%
2008	0.923	+0.0%
2009	0.924	+0.1%
2010	0.924	+0.0%
2011	0.924	+0.0%
2012	0.922	-0.2%
2013	0.869	-5.7%
2014	0.869	+0.0%
2015	0.869	+0.0%
2016	0.869	+0.0%
2017	0.869	+0.0%
2018	0.858	-1.3%
2019	0.861	+0.3%
2020	0.861	+0.0%
2021	0.847	-1.6%
2022	0.848	+0.1%
2023	0.854	+0.7%
2024	0.849	-0.6%
2025	0.847	-0.2%

Japan compared with similar countries

Japan's 0.847 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.874, 97% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
Japan's 0.847 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.682, 1.2× the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.129	0.129	0.129	1
1790s	0.143	0.143	0.143	10
1800s	0.143	0.143	0.143	10
1810s	0.143	0.143	0.143	10
1820s	0.143	0.143	0.143	10
1830s	0.143	0.143	0.143	10
1840s	0.143	0.143	0.143	10
1850s	0.165	0.165	0.165	10
1860s	0.183	0.165	0.29	10
1870s	0.379	0.379	0.379	10
1880s	0.379	0.379	0.379	10
1890s	0.407	0.407	0.407	10
1900s	0.4576	0.444	0.464	10
1910s	0.4821	0.468	0.486	10
1920s	0.4413	0.395	0.486	10
1930s	0.2913	0.144	0.376	10
1940s	0.3659	0.095	0.805	10
1950s	0.879	0.805	0.918	10
1960s	0.918	0.918	0.918	10
1970s	0.923	0.923	0.923	10
1980s	0.922	0.921	0.923	10
1990s	0.923	0.923	0.923	10
2000s	0.9231	0.923	0.924	10
2010s	0.8834	0.858	0.924	10
2020s	0.851	0.847	0.861	6

Countries ranked near Japan

40 Montenegro 0.853 compare
41 Nigeria 0.849 compare
42 Vanuatu 0.848 compare
44 Iceland 0.846 compare
45 Spain 0.843 compare
46 Solomon Islands 0.84 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

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)

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is freedom of expression index in Japan?: Freedom of expression index in Japan was 0.847 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Japan?: The highest recorded value was 0.924 in 2009.
What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Japan?: The lowest recorded value was 0.095 in 1940.
How does Japan rank for freedom of expression index?: Japan ranks 43rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Japan?: Over the last ten years it is down 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Japan data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Freedom of Expression Index in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/freedom-of-expression-index/japan/

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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: 18 September 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.