How does Japan rank for human rights index vs. electoral democracy index?

Japan ranks 20th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is human rights index vs. electoral democracy index rising or falling in Japan?

Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. 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 Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index in Japan

Name: Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index in Japan
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Japan: Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index was 0.925 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.925

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

20th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.943

in 2009

All-time low

0.09

in 1789

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index in Japan, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, human rights index vs. electoral democracy index in Japan stood at 0.925.

That represents a change of down 0.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, human rights index vs. electoral democracy index in Japan peaked at 0.943 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 0.09, in 1789.

That places Japan 20th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.

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

Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index in Japan, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.09	—
1790	0.09	+0.0%
1791	0.09	+0.0%
1792	0.09	+0.0%
1793	0.09	+0.0%
1794	0.09	+0.0%
1795	0.09	+0.0%
1796	0.09	+0.0%
1797	0.09	+0.0%
1798	0.09	+0.0%
1799	0.09	+0.0%
1800	0.09	+0.0%
1801	0.09	+0.0%
1802	0.09	+0.0%
1803	0.09	+0.0%
1804	0.09	+0.0%
1805	0.09	+0.0%
1806	0.09	+0.0%
1807	0.09	+0.0%
1808	0.09	+0.0%
1809	0.09	+0.0%
1810	0.09	+0.0%
1811	0.09	+0.0%
1812	0.09	+0.0%
1813	0.09	+0.0%
1814	0.09	+0.0%
1815	0.09	+0.0%
1816	0.09	+0.0%
1817	0.09	+0.0%
1818	0.09	+0.0%
1819	0.09	+0.0%
1820	0.09	+0.0%
1821	0.09	+0.0%
1822	0.09	+0.0%
1823	0.09	+0.0%
1824	0.09	+0.0%
1825	0.09	+0.0%
1826	0.09	+0.0%
1827	0.09	+0.0%
1828	0.09	+0.0%
1829	0.09	+0.0%
1830	0.09	+0.0%
1831	0.09	+0.0%
1832	0.09	+0.0%
1833	0.09	+0.0%
1834	0.09	+0.0%
1835	0.09	+0.0%
1836	0.09	+0.0%
1837	0.09	+0.0%
1838	0.09	+0.0%
1839	0.09	+0.0%
1840	0.09	+0.0%
1841	0.09	+0.0%
1842	0.09	+0.0%
1843	0.09	+0.0%
1844	0.09	+0.0%
1845	0.09	+0.0%
1846	0.09	+0.0%
1847	0.09	+0.0%
1848	0.09	+0.0%
1849	0.09	+0.0%
1850	0.099	+10.0%
1851	0.099	+0.0%
1852	0.099	+0.0%
1853	0.099	+0.0%
1854	0.102	+3.0%
1855	0.102	+0.0%
1856	0.102	+0.0%
1857	0.102	+0.0%
1858	0.102	+0.0%
1859	0.102	+0.0%
1860	0.102	+0.0%
1861	0.102	+0.0%
1862	0.102	+0.0%
1863	0.102	+0.0%
1864	0.102	+0.0%
1865	0.102	+0.0%
1866	0.102	+0.0%
1867	0.102	+0.0%
1868	0.106	+3.9%
1869	0.284	+167.9%
1870	0.459	+61.6%
1871	0.459	+0.0%
1872	0.459	+0.0%
1873	0.459	+0.0%
1874	0.501	+9.2%
1875	0.501	+0.0%
1876	0.501	+0.0%
1877	0.501	+0.0%
1878	0.501	+0.0%
1879	0.501	+0.0%
1880	0.501	+0.0%
1881	0.501	+0.0%
1882	0.501	+0.0%
1883	0.501	+0.0%
1884	0.501	+0.0%
1885	0.501	+0.0%
1886	0.501	+0.0%
1887	0.501	+0.0%
1888	0.501	+0.0%
1889	0.501	+0.0%
1890	0.528	+5.4%
1891	0.528	+0.0%
1892	0.538	+1.9%
1893	0.538	+0.0%
1894	0.538	+0.0%
1895	0.538	+0.0%
1896	0.538	+0.0%
1897	0.538	+0.0%
1898	0.564	+4.8%
1899	0.56	-0.7%
1900	0.575	+2.7%
1901	0.577	+0.3%
1902	0.577	+0.0%
1903	0.577	+0.0%
1904	0.573	-0.7%
1905	0.573	+0.0%
1906	0.578	+0.9%
1907	0.578	+0.0%
1908	0.578	+0.0%
1909	0.569	-1.6%
1910	0.565	-0.7%
1911	0.577	+2.1%
1912	0.577	+0.0%
1913	0.577	+0.0%
1914	0.577	+0.0%
1915	0.577	+0.0%
1916	0.577	+0.0%
1917	0.577	+0.0%
1918	0.578	+0.2%
1919	0.578	+0.0%
1920	0.587	+1.6%
1921	0.584	-0.5%
1922	0.584	+0.0%
1923	0.584	+0.0%
1924	0.584	+0.0%
1925	0.577	-1.2%
1926	0.555	-3.8%
1927	0.555	+0.0%
1928	0.555	+0.0%
1929	0.555	+0.0%
1930	0.545	-1.8%
1931	0.545	+0.0%
1932	0.528	-3.1%
1933	0.524	-0.8%
1934	0.512	-2.3%
1935	0.512	+0.0%
1936	0.503	-1.8%
1937	0.471	-6.4%
1938	0.47	-0.2%
1939	0.469	-0.2%
1940	0.446	-4.9%
1941	0.442	-0.9%
1942	0.418	-5.4%
1943	0.418	+0.0%
1944	0.418	+0.0%
1945	0.438	+4.8%
1946	0.78	+78.1%
1947	0.803	+2.9%
1948	0.805	+0.2%
1949	0.809	+0.5%
1950	0.81	+0.1%
1951	0.81	+0.0%
1952	0.813	+0.4%
1953	0.913	+12.3%
1954	0.913	+0.0%
1955	0.92	+0.8%
1956	0.921	+0.1%
1957	0.921	+0.0%
1958	0.921	+0.0%
1959	0.921	+0.0%
1960	0.921	+0.0%
1961	0.921	+0.0%
1962	0.921	+0.0%
1963	0.921	+0.0%
1964	0.926	+0.5%
1965	0.928	+0.2%
1966	0.928	+0.0%
1967	0.928	+0.0%
1968	0.928	+0.0%
1969	0.928	+0.0%
1970	0.929	+0.1%
1971	0.93	+0.1%
1972	0.939	+1.0%
1973	0.939	+0.0%
1974	0.939	+0.0%
1975	0.939	+0.0%
1976	0.939	+0.0%
1977	0.939	+0.0%
1978	0.939	+0.0%
1979	0.939	+0.0%
1980	0.938	-0.1%
1981	0.938	+0.0%
1982	0.938	+0.0%
1983	0.938	+0.0%
1984	0.938	+0.0%
1985	0.939	+0.1%
1986	0.939	+0.0%
1987	0.939	+0.0%
1988	0.939	+0.0%
1989	0.939	+0.0%
1990	0.94	+0.1%
1991	0.94	+0.0%
1992	0.94	+0.0%
1993	0.94	+0.0%
1994	0.94	+0.0%
1995	0.94	+0.0%
1996	0.94	+0.0%
1997	0.94	+0.0%
1998	0.94	+0.0%
1999	0.94	+0.0%
2000	0.94	+0.0%
2001	0.94	+0.0%
2002	0.94	+0.0%
2003	0.94	+0.0%
2004	0.94	+0.0%
2005	0.94	+0.0%
2006	0.94	+0.0%
2007	0.94	+0.0%
2008	0.941	+0.1%
2009	0.943	+0.2%
2010	0.943	+0.0%
2011	0.943	+0.0%
2012	0.94	-0.3%
2013	0.931	-1.0%
2014	0.931	+0.0%
2015	0.931	+0.0%
2016	0.931	+0.0%
2017	0.929	-0.2%
2018	0.935	+0.6%
2019	0.934	-0.1%
2020	0.91	-2.6%
2021	0.909	-0.1%
2022	0.924	+1.7%
2023	0.931	+0.8%
2024	0.925	-0.6%
2025	0.925	+0.0%

Japan compared with similar countries

Japan's 0.925 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.906, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Japan's 0.925 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.728, 1.3× the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.09	0.09	0.09	1
1790s	0.09	0.09	0.09	10
1800s	0.09	0.09	0.09	10
1810s	0.09	0.09	0.09	10
1820s	0.09	0.09	0.09	10
1830s	0.09	0.09	0.09	10
1840s	0.09	0.09	0.09	10
1850s	0.1008	0.099	0.102	10
1860s	0.1206	0.102	0.284	10
1870s	0.4842	0.459	0.501	10
1880s	0.501	0.501	0.501	10
1890s	0.5408	0.528	0.564	10
1900s	0.5755	0.569	0.578	10
1910s	0.576	0.565	0.578	10
1920s	0.572	0.555	0.587	10
1930s	0.5079	0.469	0.545	10
1940s	0.5777	0.418	0.809	10
1950s	0.8863	0.81	0.921	10
1960s	0.925	0.921	0.928	10
1970s	0.9371	0.929	0.939	10
1980s	0.9385	0.938	0.939	10
1990s	0.94	0.94	0.94	10
2000s	0.9404	0.94	0.943	10
2010s	0.9348	0.929	0.943	10
2020s	0.9207	0.909	0.931	6

Countries ranked near Japan

17 Costa Rica 0.931 compare
18 Chile 0.93 compare
18 Taiwan 0.93 compare
21 Barbados 0.918 compare
21 Poland 0.918 compare
23 France 0.917 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 human rights index vs. electoral democracy index in Japan?: Human rights index vs. electoral democracy index in Japan was 0.925 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest human rights index vs. electoral democracy index recorded in Japan?: The highest recorded value was 0.943 in 2009.
What is the lowest human rights index vs. electoral democracy index recorded in Japan?: The lowest recorded value was 0.09 in 1789.
How does Japan rank for human rights index vs. electoral democracy index?: Japan ranks 20th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is human rights index vs. electoral democracy index rising or falling in Japan?: Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. 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 Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 07 October 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/human-rights-index-vs-electoral-democracy-index/japan/

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About this data

Indicator: Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,202 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which people are free from government torture, political killings, and forced labor, they have property rights, and enjoy the freedoms of movement, religion, expression, and association.