Legislative Corruption Score in Japan
Japan: Legislative Corruption Score was 1.59 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.59
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
24th
of 174 countries
All-time high
1.59
in 2021
All-time low
-0.288
in 1890
Years of data
137
1889–2025
Legislative Corruption Score in Japan, 1889–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, legislative corruption score in Japan stood at 1.59. That is the highest value across all 137 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 71.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, legislative corruption score in Japan peaked at 1.59 in 2021 and was at its lowest, -0.288, in 1890.
That places Japan 24th out of 174 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.
Legislative Corruption Score in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1889 | -0.251 | — |
| 1890 | -0.288 | +14.7% |
| 1891 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1892 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1893 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1894 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1895 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1896 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1897 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1898 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1899 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1900 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1901 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -0.288 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.587 | -303.8% |
| 1947 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.587 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.712 | +21.3% |
| 2014 | 0.712 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.932 | +30.9% |
| 2016 | 0.932 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.932 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.932 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.932 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.932 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1.59 | +71.1% |
| 2022 | 1.59 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.59 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1.59 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 1.59 | +0.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 1.59 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.22, 1.3× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Japan's 1.59 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.3625, 4.4× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | -0.251 | -0.251 | -0.251 | 1 |
| 1890s | -0.288 | -0.288 | -0.288 | 10 |
| 1900s | -0.288 | -0.288 | -0.288 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.288 | -0.288 | -0.288 | 10 |
| 1920s | -0.288 | -0.288 | -0.288 | 10 |
| 1930s | -0.288 | -0.288 | -0.288 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.062 | -0.288 | 0.587 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.587 | 0.587 | 0.587 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.587 | 0.587 | 0.587 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.587 | 0.587 | 0.587 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.587 | 0.587 | 0.587 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.587 | 0.587 | 0.587 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.587 | 0.587 | 0.587 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7845 | 0.587 | 0.932 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.48 | 0.932 | 1.59 | 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 legislative corruption score in Japan?
- Legislative corruption score in Japan was 1.59 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest legislative corruption score recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.59 in 2021.
- What is the lowest legislative corruption score recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.288 in 1890.
- How does Japan rank for legislative corruption score?
- Japan ranks 24th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is legislative corruption score rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 71.1%. 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 Legislative Corruption Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 137 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Data by V-Dem. Expert estimates of the extent to which members of the legislature abuse their position for financial gain, such as bribes, government contracts, future employment, or stealing from the state. Higher scores mean less corruption. A score of 0 is approximately the average across all countries and years.