Statizoid

Free and fair elections in Japan

Japan: Free and fair elections was 1 in 2025. ▬ Flat

Latest (2025)
1
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 172 countries
All-time high
1
in 1890
All-time low
1
in 1890
Years of data
136
1890–2025

Free and fair elections in Japan, 1890–2025

00.20.40.60.81189019572025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for free and fair elections in Japan is 1, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 136 years on record.

The figure is unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, free and fair elections in Japan peaked at 1 in 1890 and was at its lowest, 1, in 1890.

Japan ranks 1st of 172 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

Free and fair elections in Japan, year by year

Year Value Change
1890 1 —
1891 1 +0.0%
1892 1 +0.0%
1893 1 +0.0%
1894 1 +0.0%
1895 1 +0.0%
1896 1 +0.0%
1897 1 +0.0%
1898 1 +0.0%
1899 1 +0.0%
1900 1 +0.0%
1901 1 +0.0%
1902 1 +0.0%
1903 1 +0.0%
1904 1 +0.0%
1905 1 +0.0%
1906 1 +0.0%
1907 1 +0.0%
1908 1 +0.0%
1909 1 +0.0%
1910 1 +0.0%
1911 1 +0.0%
1912 1 +0.0%
1913 1 +0.0%
1914 1 +0.0%
1915 1 +0.0%
1916 1 +0.0%
1917 1 +0.0%
1918 1 +0.0%
1919 1 +0.0%
1920 1 +0.0%
1921 1 +0.0%
1922 1 +0.0%
1923 1 +0.0%
1924 1 +0.0%
1925 1 +0.0%
1926 1 +0.0%
1927 1 +0.0%
1928 1 +0.0%
1929 1 +0.0%
1930 1 +0.0%
1931 1 +0.0%
1932 1 +0.0%
1933 1 +0.0%
1934 1 +0.0%
1935 1 +0.0%
1936 1 +0.0%
1937 1 +0.0%
1938 1 +0.0%
1939 1 +0.0%
1940 1 +0.0%
1941 1 +0.0%
1942 1 +0.0%
1943 1 +0.0%
1944 1 +0.0%
1945 1 +0.0%
1946 1 +0.0%
1947 1 +0.0%
1948 1 +0.0%
1949 1 +0.0%
1950 1 +0.0%
1951 1 +0.0%
1952 1 +0.0%
1953 1 +0.0%
1954 1 +0.0%
1955 1 +0.0%
1956 1 +0.0%
1957 1 +0.0%
1958 1 +0.0%
1959 1 +0.0%
1960 1 +0.0%
1961 1 +0.0%
1962 1 +0.0%
1963 1 +0.0%
1964 1 +0.0%
1965 1 +0.0%
1966 1 +0.0%
1967 1 +0.0%
1968 1 +0.0%
1969 1 +0.0%
1970 1 +0.0%
1971 1 +0.0%
1972 1 +0.0%
1973 1 +0.0%
1974 1 +0.0%
1975 1 +0.0%
1976 1 +0.0%
1977 1 +0.0%
1978 1 +0.0%
1979 1 +0.0%
1980 1 +0.0%
1981 1 +0.0%
1982 1 +0.0%
1983 1 +0.0%
1984 1 +0.0%
1985 1 +0.0%
1986 1 +0.0%
1987 1 +0.0%
1988 1 +0.0%
1989 1 +0.0%
1990 1 +0.0%
1991 1 +0.0%
1992 1 +0.0%
1993 1 +0.0%
1994 1 +0.0%
1995 1 +0.0%
1996 1 +0.0%
1997 1 +0.0%
1998 1 +0.0%
1999 1 +0.0%
2000 1 +0.0%
2001 1 +0.0%
2002 1 +0.0%
2003 1 +0.0%
2004 1 +0.0%
2005 1 +0.0%
2006 1 +0.0%
2007 1 +0.0%
2008 1 +0.0%
2009 1 +0.0%
2010 1 +0.0%
2011 1 +0.0%
2012 1 +0.0%
2013 1 +0.0%
2014 1 +0.0%
2015 1 +0.0%
2016 1 +0.0%
2017 1 +0.0%
2018 1 +0.0%
2019 1 +0.0%
2020 1 +0.0%
2021 1 +0.0%
2022 1 +0.0%
2023 1 +0.0%
2024 1 +0.0%
2025 1 +0.0%

Japan compared with similar countries

  • Japan's 1 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1, 1.0× the median. (53 countries reporting)
  • Japan's 1 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1, 1.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1890s 1 1 1 10
1900s 1 1 1 10
1910s 1 1 1 10
1920s 1 1 1 10
1930s 1 1 1 10
1940s 1 1 1 10
1950s 1 1 1 10
1960s 1 1 1 10
1970s 1 1 1 10
1980s 1 1 1 10
1990s 1 1 1 10
2000s 1 1 1 10
2010s 1 1 1 10
2020s 1 1 1 6

Countries ranked near Japan

  1. 1 Albania 1 compare
  2. 1 Angola 1 compare
  3. 1 Argentina 1 compare
  4. 1 Armenia 1 compare
  5. 1 Australia 1 compare
  6. 1 Austria 1 compare
  7. 1 Barbados 1 compare
  8. 1 Belgium 1 compare
  9. 1 Bhutan 1 compare
  10. 1 Bolivia 1 compare
  11. 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 compare
  12. 1 Botswana 1 compare
  13. 1 Brazil 1 compare
  14. 1 Bulgaria 1 compare
  15. 1 Burkina Faso 1 compare
  16. 1 Canada 1 compare
  17. 1 Cape Verde 1 compare
  18. 1 Chile 1 compare
  19. 1 Colombia 1 compare
  20. 1 Costa Rica 1 compare
  21. 1 Croatia 1 compare
  22. 1 Cyprus 1 compare
  23. 1 Czechia 1 compare
  24. 1 Denmark 1 compare
  25. 1 Dominican Republic 1 compare
  26. 1 East Timor 1 compare
  27. 1 Ecuador 1 compare
  28. 1 El Salvador 1 compare
  29. 1 Estonia 1 compare
  30. 1 Fiji 1 compare
  31. 1 Finland 1 compare
  32. 1 France 1 compare
  33. 1 Gambia 1 compare
  34. 1 Germany 1 compare
  35. 1 Ghana 1 compare
  36. 1 Greece 1 compare
  37. 1 Guatemala 1 compare
  38. 1 Guyana 1 compare
  39. 1 Honduras 1 compare
  40. 1 Hungary 1 compare
  41. 1 Iceland 1 compare
  42. 1 India 1 compare
  43. 1 Indonesia 1 compare
  44. 1 Iraq 1 compare
  45. 1 Ireland 1 compare
  46. 1 Israel 1 compare
  47. 1 Italy 1 compare
  48. 1 Jamaica 1 compare
  49. 1 Jordan 1 compare
  50. 1 Kenya 1 compare
  51. 1 Kuwait 1 compare
  52. 1 Kyrgyzstan 1 compare
  53. 1 Latvia 1 compare
  54. 1 Lebanon 1 compare
  55. 1 Lesotho 1 compare
  56. 1 Liberia 1 compare
  57. 1 Libya 1 compare
  58. 1 Lithuania 1 compare
  59. 1 Luxembourg 1 compare
  60. 1 Malawi 1 compare
  61. 1 Malaysia 1 compare
  62. 1 Maldives 1 compare
  63. 1 Mali 1 compare
  64. 1 Malta 1 compare
  65. 1 Mauritius 1 compare
  66. 1 Mexico 1 compare
  67. 1 Moldova 1 compare
  68. 1 Mongolia 1 compare
  69. 1 Montenegro 1 compare
  70. 1 Morocco 1 compare
  71. 1 Namibia 1 compare
  72. 1 Nepal 1 compare
  73. 1 Netherlands 1 compare
  74. 1 New Zealand 1 compare
  75. 1 Niger 1 compare
  76. 1 Nigeria 1 compare
  77. 1 North Macedonia 1 compare
  78. 1 Norway 1 compare
  79. 1 Oman 1 compare
  80. 1 Panama 1 compare
  81. 1 Paraguay 1 compare
  82. 1 Peru 1 compare
  83. 1 Poland 1 compare
  84. 1 Portugal 1 compare
  85. 1 Romania 1 compare
  86. 1 Sao Tome and Principe 1 compare
  87. 1 Senegal 1 compare
  88. 1 Seychelles 1 compare
  89. 1 Singapore 1 compare
  90. 1 Slovakia 1 compare
  91. 1 Slovenia 1 compare
  92. 1 Solomon Islands 1 compare
  93. 1 South Africa 1 compare
  94. 1 South Korea 1 compare
  95. 1 Spain 1 compare
  96. 1 Sri Lanka 1 compare
  97. 1 Suriname 1 compare
  98. 1 Sweden 1 compare
  99. 1 Switzerland 1 compare
  100. 1 Taiwan 1 compare
  101. 1 Thailand 1 compare
  102. 1 Togo 1 compare
  103. 1 Trinidad and Tobago 1 compare
  104. 1 Turkey 1 compare
  105. 1 Ukraine 1 compare
  106. 1 United Kingdom 1 compare
  107. 1 United States 1 compare
  108. 1 Uruguay 1 compare
  109. 1 Vanuatu 1 compare
  110. 1 Zambia 1 compare

See the full ranking of 172 places →

More reference data data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is free and fair elections in Japan?
Free and fair elections in Japan was 1 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest free and fair elections recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 1 in 1890.
What is the lowest free and fair elections recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 1 in 1890.
How does Japan rank for free and fair elections?
Japan ranks 1st out of 172 countries with data for 2025.
Is free and fair elections rising or falling in Japan?
Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Free and fair elections in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/free-and-fair-elections-row/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Free and fair elections
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
172 places, 17,000 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed

Central estimate of whether national elections were free and fair or not.