What is press freedom index in Japan?

Press freedom index in Japan was 28.88 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Japan?

The highest recorded value was 29.44 in 2017.

What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Japan?

The lowest recorded value was 25.17 in 2013.

How does Japan rank for press freedom index?

Japan ranks 112th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.

Is press freedom index rising or falling in Japan?

Over the last ten years it is up 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Japan data come from?

The figures come from Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Press Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Press Freedom Index in Japan

Name: Press Freedom Index in Japan
Creator: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Japan: Press Freedom Index was 28.88 in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)

28.88

Change on year

up 0.1%

World rank

112th

of 177 countries

All-time high

29.44

in 2017

All-time low

25.17

in 2013

Years of data

2013–2021

Press Freedom Index in Japan, 2013–2021

Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Japan recorded 28.88 for press freedom index in 2021.

The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 14.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, press freedom index in Japan peaked at 29.44 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 25.17, in 2013.

Japan ranks 112th of 177 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
2010s	27.75	25.17	29.44	7
2020s	28.87	28.86	28.88	2

Countries ranked near Japan

109 Greece 29.01 compare
110 Argentina 28.99 compare
111 Mongolia 28.97 compare
113 Cote d'Ivoire 28.87 compare
114 Bhutan 28.86 compare
115 Poland 28.84 compare

See the full ranking of 177 places →

More social development data for Japan

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)
Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
Freedom of Association Index 0.924 (2025)
Liberal Democracy Index 0.734 (2025)
Electoral democracy 2 (2025)
Human Rights Index 0.925 (2025)
Participatory Democracy Index 0.526 (2025)
Key features of human rights 0.925 (2025)

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is press freedom index in Japan?: Press freedom index in Japan was 28.88 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Japan?: The highest recorded value was 29.44 in 2017.
What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Japan?: The lowest recorded value was 25.17 in 2013.
How does Japan rank for press freedom index?: Japan ranks 112th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.
Is press freedom index rising or falling in Japan?: Over the last ten years it is up 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Japan data come from?: The figures come from Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Press Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Press Freedom Index
Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 177 places, 1,591 data points, 2013–2021
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

The index combines expert estimates with data on violence against journalists. It ranges from 0-100 (no freedom).