Which has higher rule of law index, Canada or Japan?

Canada, at 0.963 against 0.956 in Japan as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and Japan?

185 years are reported by both, from 1841 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Rule of Law Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Canada vs Japan: Rule of Law Index

Canada

0.963

in 2025

Japan

0.956

in 2025

Canada rank

19th

Japan rank

20th

Rule of Law Index over time

Canada
Japan

How they compare

Canada currently reports 0.963 against 0.956 in Japan, a difference of 0.007.

Across all 185 years both countries report, Canada has been ahead every year.

Canada ranks 19th and Japan ranks 20th of 176 countries.

Canada has averaged higher in every one of the 19 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Canada	Japan	Difference	Ahead
1840s	0.929	0.33	0.599	Canada
1850s	0.929	0.3338	0.5952	Canada
1860s	0.929	0.4743	0.4547	Canada
1870s	0.929	0.7473	0.1817	Canada
1880s	0.929	0.7444	0.1846	Canada
1890s	0.929	0.7778	0.1512	Canada
1900s	0.93	0.8546	0.0754	Canada
1910s	0.94	0.8479	0.0921	Canada
1920s	0.94	0.8472	0.0928	Canada
1930s	0.9402	0.846	0.0942	Canada
1940s	0.9423	0.8722	0.0701	Canada
1950s	0.956	0.9451	0.0109	Canada
1960s	0.9647	0.952	0.0127	Canada
1970s	0.97	0.9574	0.0126	Canada
1980s	0.9754	0.9544	0.021	Canada
1990s	0.977	0.9572	0.0198	Canada
2000s	0.9776	0.96	0.0176	Canada
2010s	0.9805	0.9549	0.0256	Canada
2020s	0.9638	0.958	0.0058	Canada

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher rule of law index, Canada or Japan?: Canada, at 0.963 against 0.956 in Japan as of 2025.
What is the difference in rule of law index between Canada and Japan?: 0.007, with Canada ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and Japan?: 185 years are reported by both, from 1841 to 2025.
How do Canada and Japan rank globally for rule of law index?: Canada ranks 19th and Japan ranks 20th of 176 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Rule of Law Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Canada vs Japan: Rule of Law Index. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 28 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/rule-of-law-index/canada/japan/

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About this data

Indicator: Rule of Law Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,303 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which the government complies with the law, courts are independent, laws transparent, justice accessible, corruption absent, and the bureaucracy is impartial.