What is key features of liberal democracy in Japan?

Key features of liberal democracy in Japan was 0.734 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Japan?

The highest recorded value was 0.779 in 2009.

What is the lowest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Japan?

The lowest recorded value was 0.016 in 1790.

How does Japan rank for key features of liberal democracy?

Japan ranks 24th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is key features of liberal democracy rising or falling in Japan?

Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. 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 Key features of liberal democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Key features of liberal democracy in Japan

Name: Key features of liberal democracy in Japan
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Japan: Key features of liberal democracy was 0.734 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.734

Change on year

down 0.4%

World rank

24th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.779

in 2009

All-time low

0.016

in 1790

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Key features of liberal democracy in Japan, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for key features of liberal democracy in Japan is 0.734, measured in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 0.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, key features of liberal democracy in Japan peaked at 0.779 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 0.016, in 1790.

That places Japan 24th 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.

Key features of liberal democracy in Japan, year by year

Annual values for Key features of liberal democracy in Japan, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.019	—
1790	0.016	-15.8%
1791	0.016	+0.0%
1792	0.016	+0.0%
1793	0.016	+0.0%
1794	0.016	+0.0%
1795	0.016	+0.0%
1796	0.016	+0.0%
1797	0.016	+0.0%
1798	0.016	+0.0%
1799	0.016	+0.0%
1800	0.016	+0.0%
1801	0.016	+0.0%
1802	0.016	+0.0%
1803	0.016	+0.0%
1804	0.016	+0.0%
1805	0.016	+0.0%
1806	0.016	+0.0%
1807	0.016	+0.0%
1808	0.016	+0.0%
1809	0.016	+0.0%
1810	0.016	+0.0%
1811	0.016	+0.0%
1812	0.016	+0.0%
1813	0.016	+0.0%
1814	0.016	+0.0%
1815	0.016	+0.0%
1816	0.016	+0.0%
1817	0.016	+0.0%
1818	0.016	+0.0%
1819	0.016	+0.0%
1820	0.016	+0.0%
1821	0.016	+0.0%
1822	0.016	+0.0%
1823	0.016	+0.0%
1824	0.016	+0.0%
1825	0.016	+0.0%
1826	0.016	+0.0%
1827	0.016	+0.0%
1828	0.016	+0.0%
1829	0.016	+0.0%
1830	0.016	+0.0%
1831	0.016	+0.0%
1832	0.016	+0.0%
1833	0.016	+0.0%
1834	0.016	+0.0%
1835	0.016	+0.0%
1836	0.016	+0.0%
1837	0.016	+0.0%
1838	0.016	+0.0%
1839	0.016	+0.0%
1840	0.016	+0.0%
1841	0.016	+0.0%
1842	0.016	+0.0%
1843	0.016	+0.0%
1844	0.016	+0.0%
1845	0.016	+0.0%
1846	0.016	+0.0%
1847	0.016	+0.0%
1848	0.016	+0.0%
1849	0.016	+0.0%
1850	0.017	+6.3%
1851	0.017	+0.0%
1852	0.017	+0.0%
1853	0.017	+0.0%
1854	0.018	+5.9%
1855	0.018	+0.0%
1856	0.018	+0.0%
1857	0.018	+0.0%
1858	0.019	+5.6%
1859	0.019	+0.0%
1860	0.019	+0.0%
1861	0.019	+0.0%
1862	0.019	+0.0%
1863	0.019	+0.0%
1864	0.019	+0.0%
1865	0.019	+0.0%
1866	0.019	+0.0%
1867	0.019	+0.0%
1868	0.02	+5.3%
1869	0.039	+95.0%
1870	0.079	+102.6%
1871	0.079	+0.0%
1872	0.079	+0.0%
1873	0.079	+0.0%
1874	0.083	+5.1%
1875	0.102	+22.9%
1876	0.109	+6.9%
1877	0.109	+0.0%
1878	0.109	+0.0%
1879	0.109	+0.0%
1880	0.109	+0.0%
1881	0.109	+0.0%
1882	0.109	+0.0%
1883	0.109	+0.0%
1884	0.109	+0.0%
1885	0.109	+0.0%
1886	0.109	+0.0%
1887	0.109	+0.0%
1888	0.109	+0.0%
1889	0.111	+1.8%
1890	0.167	+50.5%
1891	0.182	+9.0%
1892	0.178	-2.2%
1893	0.177	-0.6%
1894	0.18	+1.7%
1895	0.18	+0.0%
1896	0.18	+0.0%
1897	0.18	+0.0%
1898	0.186	+3.3%
1899	0.186	+0.0%
1900	0.196	+5.4%
1901	0.196	+0.0%
1902	0.197	+0.5%
1903	0.197	+0.0%
1904	0.197	+0.0%
1905	0.197	+0.0%
1906	0.197	+0.0%
1907	0.197	+0.0%
1908	0.196	-0.5%
1909	0.195	-0.5%
1910	0.197	+1.0%
1911	0.198	+0.5%
1912	0.198	+0.0%
1913	0.202	+2.0%
1914	0.201	-0.5%
1915	0.202	+0.5%
1916	0.202	+0.0%
1917	0.203	+0.5%
1918	0.206	+1.5%
1919	0.206	+0.0%
1920	0.207	+0.5%
1921	0.206	-0.5%
1922	0.206	+0.0%
1923	0.206	+0.0%
1924	0.209	+1.5%
1925	0.208	-0.5%
1926	0.215	+3.4%
1927	0.215	+0.0%
1928	0.214	-0.5%
1929	0.214	+0.0%
1930	0.213	-0.5%
1931	0.213	+0.0%
1932	0.21	-1.4%
1933	0.207	-1.4%
1934	0.206	-0.5%
1935	0.205	-0.5%
1936	0.205	+0.0%
1937	0.198	-3.4%
1938	0.193	-2.5%
1939	0.194	+0.5%
1940	0.185	-4.6%
1941	0.184	-0.5%
1942	0.178	-3.3%
1943	0.177	-0.6%
1944	0.177	+0.0%
1945	0.199	+12.4%
1946	0.275	+38.2%
1947	0.354	+28.7%
1948	0.364	+2.8%
1949	0.364	+0.0%
1950	0.365	+0.3%
1951	0.366	+0.3%
1952	0.549	+50.0%
1953	0.698	+27.1%
1954	0.698	+0.0%
1955	0.731	+4.7%
1956	0.736	+0.7%
1957	0.736	+0.0%
1958	0.743	+1.0%
1959	0.748	+0.7%
1960	0.749	+0.1%
1961	0.751	+0.3%
1962	0.751	+0.0%
1963	0.751	+0.0%
1964	0.749	-0.3%
1965	0.749	+0.0%
1966	0.749	+0.0%
1967	0.75	+0.1%
1968	0.75	+0.0%
1969	0.75	+0.0%
1970	0.749	-0.1%
1971	0.751	+0.3%
1972	0.753	+0.3%
1973	0.749	-0.5%
1974	0.749	+0.0%
1975	0.749	+0.0%
1976	0.749	+0.0%
1977	0.752	+0.4%
1978	0.752	+0.0%
1979	0.752	+0.0%
1980	0.752	+0.0%
1981	0.752	+0.0%
1982	0.752	+0.0%
1983	0.752	+0.0%
1984	0.754	+0.3%
1985	0.754	+0.0%
1986	0.752	-0.3%
1987	0.751	-0.1%
1988	0.751	+0.0%
1989	0.751	+0.0%
1990	0.754	+0.4%
1991	0.754	+0.0%
1992	0.754	+0.0%
1993	0.755	+0.1%
1994	0.76	+0.7%
1995	0.76	+0.0%
1996	0.759	-0.1%
1997	0.757	-0.3%
1998	0.757	+0.0%
1999	0.757	+0.0%
2000	0.762	+0.7%
2001	0.762	+0.0%
2002	0.762	+0.0%
2003	0.762	+0.0%
2004	0.763	+0.1%
2005	0.766	+0.4%
2006	0.773	+0.9%
2007	0.773	+0.0%
2008	0.772	-0.1%
2009	0.779	+0.9%
2010	0.778	-0.1%
2011	0.778	+0.0%
2012	0.774	-0.5%
2013	0.741	-4.3%
2014	0.739	-0.3%
2015	0.74	+0.1%
2016	0.74	+0.0%
2017	0.744	+0.5%
2018	0.755	+1.5%
2019	0.753	-0.3%
2020	0.742	-1.5%
2021	0.736	-0.8%
2022	0.738	+0.3%
2023	0.745	+0.9%
2024	0.737	-1.1%
2025	0.734	-0.4%

Japan compared with similar countries

Japan's 0.734 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.689, 1.1× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Japan's 0.734 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.3575, 2.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.019	0.019	0.019	1
1790s	0.016	0.016	0.016	10
1800s	0.016	0.016	0.016	10
1810s	0.016	0.016	0.016	10
1820s	0.016	0.016	0.016	10
1830s	0.016	0.016	0.016	10
1840s	0.016	0.016	0.016	10
1850s	0.0178	0.017	0.019	10
1860s	0.0211	0.019	0.039	10
1870s	0.0937	0.079	0.109	10
1880s	0.1092	0.109	0.111	10
1890s	0.1796	0.167	0.186	10
1900s	0.1965	0.195	0.197	10
1910s	0.2015	0.197	0.206	10
1920s	0.21	0.206	0.215	10
1930s	0.2044	0.193	0.213	10
1940s	0.2457	0.177	0.364	10
1950s	0.637	0.365	0.748	10
1960s	0.7499	0.749	0.751	10
1970s	0.7505	0.749	0.753	10
1980s	0.7521	0.751	0.754	10
1990s	0.7567	0.754	0.76	10
2000s	0.7674	0.762	0.779	10
2010s	0.7542	0.739	0.778	10
2020s	0.7387	0.734	0.745	6

Countries ranked near Japan

21 Spain 0.741 compare
22 South Korea 0.739 compare
23 Canada 0.736 compare
25 Iceland 0.72 compare
26 Portugal 0.717 compare
27 Lithuania 0.712 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 key features of liberal democracy in Japan?: Key features of liberal democracy in Japan was 0.734 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Japan?: The highest recorded value was 0.779 in 2009.
What is the lowest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Japan?: The lowest recorded value was 0.016 in 1790.
How does Japan rank for key features of liberal democracy?: Japan ranks 24th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is key features of liberal democracy rising or falling in Japan?: Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. 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 Key features of liberal democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Key features of liberal democracy in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 08 October 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/key-features-of-liberal-democracy/japan/

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About this data

Indicator: Key features of liberal democracy
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 28,671 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, individual and minority rights, equality before the law, and executive constraints.