Free and Fair Elections Index in Japan
Japan: Free and Fair Elections Index was 0.937 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.937
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
27th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.944
in 2018
All-time low
0
in 1789
Years of data
237
1789–2025
Free and Fair Elections Index in Japan, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Japan recorded 0.937 for free and fair elections index in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, free and fair elections index in Japan peaked at 0.944 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1789.
That places Japan 27th out of 176 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.
Free and Fair Elections Index in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0 | — |
| 1790 | 0 | — |
| 1791 | 0 | — |
| 1792 | 0 | — |
| 1793 | 0 | — |
| 1794 | 0 | — |
| 1795 | 0 | — |
| 1796 | 0 | — |
| 1797 | 0 | — |
| 1798 | 0 | — |
| 1799 | 0 | — |
| 1800 | 0 | — |
| 1801 | 0 | — |
| 1802 | 0 | — |
| 1803 | 0 | — |
| 1804 | 0 | — |
| 1805 | 0 | — |
| 1806 | 0 | — |
| 1807 | 0 | — |
| 1808 | 0 | — |
| 1809 | 0 | — |
| 1810 | 0 | — |
| 1811 | 0 | — |
| 1812 | 0 | — |
| 1813 | 0 | — |
| 1814 | 0 | — |
| 1815 | 0 | — |
| 1816 | 0 | — |
| 1817 | 0 | — |
| 1818 | 0 | — |
| 1819 | 0 | — |
| 1820 | 0 | — |
| 1821 | 0 | — |
| 1822 | 0 | — |
| 1823 | 0 | — |
| 1824 | 0 | — |
| 1825 | 0 | — |
| 1826 | 0 | — |
| 1827 | 0 | — |
| 1828 | 0 | — |
| 1829 | 0 | — |
| 1830 | 0 | — |
| 1831 | 0 | — |
| 1832 | 0 | — |
| 1833 | 0 | — |
| 1834 | 0 | — |
| 1835 | 0 | — |
| 1836 | 0 | — |
| 1837 | 0 | — |
| 1838 | 0 | — |
| 1839 | 0 | — |
| 1840 | 0 | — |
| 1841 | 0 | — |
| 1842 | 0 | — |
| 1843 | 0 | — |
| 1844 | 0 | — |
| 1845 | 0 | — |
| 1846 | 0 | — |
| 1847 | 0 | — |
| 1848 | 0 | — |
| 1849 | 0 | — |
| 1850 | 0 | — |
| 1851 | 0 | — |
| 1852 | 0 | — |
| 1853 | 0 | — |
| 1854 | 0 | — |
| 1855 | 0 | — |
| 1856 | 0 | — |
| 1857 | 0 | — |
| 1858 | 0 | — |
| 1859 | 0 | — |
| 1860 | 0 | — |
| 1861 | 0 | — |
| 1862 | 0 | — |
| 1863 | 0 | — |
| 1864 | 0 | — |
| 1865 | 0 | — |
| 1866 | 0 | — |
| 1867 | 0 | — |
| 1868 | 0 | — |
| 1869 | 0 | — |
| 1870 | 0 | — |
| 1871 | 0 | — |
| 1872 | 0 | — |
| 1873 | 0 | — |
| 1874 | 0 | — |
| 1875 | 0 | — |
| 1876 | 0 | — |
| 1877 | 0 | — |
| 1878 | 0 | — |
| 1879 | 0 | — |
| 1880 | 0 | — |
| 1881 | 0 | — |
| 1882 | 0 | — |
| 1883 | 0 | — |
| 1884 | 0 | — |
| 1885 | 0 | — |
| 1886 | 0 | — |
| 1887 | 0 | — |
| 1888 | 0 | — |
| 1889 | 0 | — |
| 1890 | 0.252 | — |
| 1891 | 0.5 | +98.4% |
| 1892 | 0.315 | -37.0% |
| 1893 | 0.289 | -8.3% |
| 1894 | 0.366 | +26.6% |
| 1895 | 0.381 | +4.1% |
| 1896 | 0.381 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 0.381 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.389 | +2.1% |
| 1899 | 0.391 | +0.5% |
| 1900 | 0.456 | +16.6% |
| 1901 | 0.456 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.458 | +0.4% |
| 1903 | 0.461 | +0.7% |
| 1904 | 0.461 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.461 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.461 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.461 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.46 | -0.2% |
| 1909 | 0.46 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.46 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.46 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.45 | -2.2% |
| 1913 | 0.444 | -1.3% |
| 1914 | 0.444 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.459 | +3.4% |
| 1916 | 0.464 | +1.1% |
| 1917 | 0.5 | +7.8% |
| 1918 | 0.515 | +3.0% |
| 1919 | 0.515 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.513 | -0.4% |
| 1921 | 0.512 | -0.2% |
| 1922 | 0.512 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.512 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.58 | +13.3% |
| 1925 | 0.617 | +6.4% |
| 1926 | 0.617 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.617 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.601 | -2.6% |
| 1929 | 0.598 | -0.5% |
| 1930 | 0.602 | +0.7% |
| 1931 | 0.603 | +0.2% |
| 1932 | 0.601 | -0.3% |
| 1933 | 0.6 | -0.2% |
| 1934 | 0.6 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.6 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.601 | +0.2% |
| 1937 | 0.602 | +0.2% |
| 1938 | 0.602 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.602 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.602 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.602 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.57 | -5.3% |
| 1943 | 0.555 | -2.6% |
| 1944 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.81 | +45.9% |
| 1947 | 0.869 | +7.3% |
| 1948 | 0.875 | +0.7% |
| 1949 | 0.879 | +0.5% |
| 1950 | 0.891 | +1.4% |
| 1951 | 0.895 | +0.4% |
| 1952 | 0.896 | +0.1% |
| 1953 | 0.897 | +0.1% |
| 1954 | 0.897 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.896 | -0.1% |
| 1956 | 0.895 | -0.1% |
| 1957 | 0.895 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.909 | +1.6% |
| 1959 | 0.918 | +1.0% |
| 1960 | 0.918 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.92 | +0.2% |
| 1962 | 0.92 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.921 | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 0.921 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.921 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.921 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.918 | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 0.918 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.918 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.922 | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 0.922 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.922 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.92 | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 0.92 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.92 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.92 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.92 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.92 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.92 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.919 | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 0.919 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.919 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.919 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.921 | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 0.921 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.921 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.92 | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 0.92 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.92 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.918 | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 0.917 | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 0.917 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.918 | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 0.918 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.918 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.918 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.92 | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 0.92 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.92 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.921 | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 0.921 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.921 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.92 | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 0.918 | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 0.922 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 0.933 | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 0.933 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.933 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.932 | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 0.931 | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 0.931 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.931 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.928 | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 0.928 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.928 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.928 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.931 | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 0.944 | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 0.944 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.939 | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 0.939 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.943 | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 0.943 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 0.942 | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 0.937 | -0.5% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 0.937 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.929, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Japan's 0.937 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.5335, 1.8× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Free and Fair Elections Index in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1891 | +98.4% | 0.252 | 0.5 |
| 1946 | +45.9% | 0.555 | 0.81 |
| 1892 | -37.0% | 0.5 | 0.315 |
| 1894 | +26.6% | 0.289 | 0.366 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.3645 | 0.252 | 0.5 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.4595 | 0.456 | 0.461 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.4711 | 0.444 | 0.515 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.5679 | 0.512 | 0.617 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.6013 | 0.6 | 0.603 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.6872 | 0.555 | 0.879 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.8989 | 0.891 | 0.918 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.9196 | 0.918 | 0.921 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.9206 | 0.92 | 0.922 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9199 | 0.919 | 0.921 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9184 | 0.917 | 0.92 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.9254 | 0.918 | 0.933 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9324 | 0.928 | 0.944 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9405 | 0.937 | 0.943 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 25 Austria 0.938 compare
- 25 Slovakia 0.938 compare
- 28 South Korea 0.935 compare
- 29 Iceland 0.929 compare
- 30 United Kingdom 0.924 compare
More reference data data for Japan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.981 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3629 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.57 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 23.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.98 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is free and fair elections index in Japan?
- Free and fair elections index in Japan was 0.937 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest free and fair elections index recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 0.944 in 2018.
- What is the lowest free and fair elections index recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1789.
- How does Japan rank for free and fair elections index?
- Japan ranks 27th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is free and fair elections index rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. 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 Free and Fair Elections Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 237 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which registration fraud, systematic irregularities, government intimidation of the opposition, vote buying, and election violence are absent, and the election management body is autonomous and has enough staff and resources.