Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) in Japan
Japan: Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) was 2.04 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
2.04 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
Change on year
down 1.3%
World rank
2nd
of 206 countries
All-time high
2.07 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
in 2024
All-time low
1.13 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
in 1996
Years of data
27
1996–2025
Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate in Japan, 1996–2025
Source: World Bank. Measured in approx. -2.5 to +2.5.
Analysis
The most recent figure for government effectiveness - governance estimate in Japan is 2.04 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and up 19.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government effectiveness - governance estimate in Japan peaked at 2.07 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.13 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, in 1996.
Japan ranks 2nd of 206 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) in Japan, year by year
| Year | approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1.13 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | — |
| 1998 | 1.19 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +5.2% |
| 2000 | 1.38 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +15.8% |
| 2002 | 1.3 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -5.8% |
| 2003 | 1.3 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 1.31 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 1.39 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +6.4% |
| 2006 | 1.43 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 1.29 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -10.2% |
| 2008 | 1.33 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 1.36 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 1.37 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 1.37 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 1.35 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 1.47 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +8.7% |
| 2014 | 1.76 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +20.2% |
| 2015 | 1.71 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 1.81 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +6.0% |
| 2017 | 1.71 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -5.4% |
| 2018 | 1.82 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +6.2% |
| 2019 | 1.83 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 1.87 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 1.74 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -6.7% |
| 2022 | 2.05 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +17.7% |
| 2023 | 2.03 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 2.07 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 2.04 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -1.3% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 2.04 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.05 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, 1.9× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Japan's 2.04 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.1855 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, 11.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.16 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 1.13 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 1.19 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 2 |
| 2000s | 1.34 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 1.29 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 1.43 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 9 |
| 2010s | 1.62 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 1.35 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 1.83 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.97 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 1.74 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 2.07 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 1 Singapore 2.09 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
- 3 Luxembourg 1.98 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
- 4 Switzerland 1.97 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 compare
- 5 Denmark 1.96 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 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 government effectiveness - governance estimate in Japan?
- Government effectiveness - governance estimate in Japan was 2.04 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2025, according to the World Bank.
- What is the highest government effectiveness - governance estimate recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 2.07 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2024.
- What is the lowest government effectiveness - governance estimate recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.13 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 1996.
- How does Japan rank for government effectiveness - governance estimate?
- Japan ranks 2nd out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
- Is government effectiveness - governance estimate rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).