LGBT+ Rights Index in Japan
Japan: LGBT+ Rights Index was 3.94 in 2019. ▲ Rising
LGBT+ Rights Index in Japan, 1991–2019
Source: Velasco (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2019, lgbt+ rights index in Japan stood at 3.94. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, lgbt+ rights index in Japan peaked at 3.94 in 2003 and was at its lowest, 3.07, in 1991.
That places Japan 56th out of 192 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.07 | 3.07 | 3.07 | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.68 | 3.07 | 3.94 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.94 | 3.94 | 3.94 | 10 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 54 Chile 3.95 compare
- 54 Cyprus 3.95 compare
- 56 Slovakia 3.94 compare
- 58 Angola 3.55 compare
- 59 Cape Verde 3.07 compare
- 59 Costa Rica 3.07 compare
- 59 East Timor 3.07 compare
- 59 El Salvador 3.07 compare
- 59 Honduras 3.07 compare
- 59 Liechtenstein 3.07 compare
- 59 Monaco 3.07 compare
- 59 Nicaragua 3.07 compare
- 59 Philippines 3.07 compare
- 59 Seychelles 3.07 compare
More social development data for Japan
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 42,450 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 56 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Key features of democracy 0.819 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.847 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.924 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.819 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.526 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.734 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lgbt+ rights index in Japan?
- Lgbt+ rights index in Japan was 3.94 in 2019, according to Velasco (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lgbt+ rights index recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.94 in 2003.
- What is the lowest lgbt+ rights index recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.07 in 1991.
- How does Japan rank for lgbt+ rights index?
- Japan ranks 56th out of 192 countries with data for 2019.
- Is lgbt+ rights index rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Velasco (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of LGBT+ Rights Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 29 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The LGBT+ Policy Index measures a country’s LGBT+ policy landscape by capturing the implementation of 18 different LGBT+ policies. Policies included in the index are limited to those adopted across at least three countries or are explicitly advocated for by transnational activists.