Which has higher strong elected local governments index, Japan or South Korea?

Japan, at 0.991 against 0.988 in South Korea as of 2025.

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

128 years are reported by both, from 1895 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

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

Japan vs South Korea: Strong Elected Local Governments Index

Japan

0.991

in 2025

South Korea

0.988

in 2025

Japan rank

11th

South Korea rank

14th

Strong Elected Local Governments Index over time

Japan
South Korea

How they compare

Japan currently reports 0.991 against 0.988 in South Korea, a difference of 0.003.

Across all 128 years both countries report, Japan has been ahead every year.

Japan ranks 11th and South Korea ranks 14th of 175 countries.

Japan has averaged higher in every one of the 14 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Japan	South Korea	Difference	Ahead
1890s	0.253	0	0.253	Japan
1900s	0.253	0.004	0.249	Japan
1910s	0.253	0.004	0.249	Japan
1920s	0.2554	0.004	0.2514	Japan
1930s	0.259	0.004	0.255	Japan
1940s	0.4681	0.004	0.4641	Japan
1950s	0.991	0.4186	0.5724	Japan
1960s	0.991	0.1067	0.8843	Japan
1970s	0.991	0.067	0.924	Japan
1980s	0.991	0.071	0.92	Japan
1990s	0.991	0.7168	0.2742	Japan
2000s	0.991	0.977	0.014	Japan
2010s	0.991	0.9847	0.0063	Japan
2020s	0.991	0.988	0.003	Japan

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher strong elected local governments index, Japan or South Korea?: Japan, at 0.991 against 0.988 in South Korea as of 2025.
What is the difference in strong elected local governments index between Japan and South Korea?: 0.003, with Japan ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and South Korea?: 128 years are reported by both, from 1895 to 2025.
How do Japan and South Korea rank globally for strong elected local governments index?: Japan ranks 11th and South Korea ranks 14th of 175 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Strong Elected Local Governments Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator: Strong Elected Local Governments Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 175 places, 25,933 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which elected local governments exist, and they operate without interference from local unelected bodies.