Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index in Japan
Japan: Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index was 0.958 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.958
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
19th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.969
in 2023
All-time low
0.073
in 1790
Years of data
237
1789–2025
Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index in Japan, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Japan recorded 0.958 for individual liberties and equality before the law index in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, individual liberties and equality before the law index in Japan peaked at 0.969 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.073, in 1790.
That places Japan 19th 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.
Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0.104 | — |
| 1790 | 0.073 | -29.8% |
| 1791 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1793 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1797 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1822 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1831 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 0.073 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.082 | +12.3% |
| 1851 | 0.082 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 0.082 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0.082 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 0.094 | +14.6% |
| 1855 | 0.094 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.094 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.094 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 0.099 | +5.3% |
| 1859 | 0.099 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.105 | +6.1% |
| 1861 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 0.245 | +133.3% |
| 1870 | 0.529 | +115.9% |
| 1871 | 0.529 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.529 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.529 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.567 | +7.2% |
| 1875 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.592 | +4.4% |
| 1891 | 0.592 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.592 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 0.592 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 0.592 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.592 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 0.592 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 0.592 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.664 | +12.2% |
| 1899 | 0.664 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.728 | +9.6% |
| 1901 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.728 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.717 | -1.5% |
| 1910 | 0.72 | +0.4% |
| 1911 | 0.727 | +1.0% |
| 1912 | 0.731 | +0.6% |
| 1913 | 0.731 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.731 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.731 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.731 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.731 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.731 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.731 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.735 | +0.5% |
| 1921 | 0.735 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.735 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.735 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.735 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.735 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.726 | -1.2% |
| 1927 | 0.726 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.726 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.726 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.726 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.726 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.711 | -2.1% |
| 1933 | 0.711 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.71 | -0.1% |
| 1935 | 0.71 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.707 | -0.4% |
| 1937 | 0.707 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.708 | +0.1% |
| 1939 | 0.708 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.708 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.706 | -0.3% |
| 1942 | 0.668 | -5.4% |
| 1943 | 0.668 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.668 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.663 | -0.7% |
| 1946 | 0.855 | +29.0% |
| 1947 | 0.86 | +0.6% |
| 1948 | 0.878 | +2.1% |
| 1949 | 0.878 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.878 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.878 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.878 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.956 | +8.9% |
| 1954 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.958 | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 0.959 | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 0.959 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.959 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.959 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.959 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.959 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.959 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.967 | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.967 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.966 | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 0.966 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.965 | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 0.965 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.965 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.965 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.965 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.949 | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 0.955 | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 0.962 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 0.969 | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 0.958 | -1.1% |
| 2025 | 0.958 | +0.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 0.958 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.932, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Japan's 0.958 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7075, 1.4× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.104 | 0.104 | 0.104 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.073 | 0.073 | 0.073 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.073 | 0.073 | 0.073 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.073 | 0.073 | 0.073 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.073 | 0.073 | 0.073 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.073 | 0.073 | 0.073 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.073 | 0.073 | 0.073 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.0902 | 0.082 | 0.099 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.119 | 0.105 | 0.245 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.5518 | 0.529 | 0.567 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.567 | 0.567 | 0.567 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.6064 | 0.592 | 0.664 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.7269 | 0.717 | 0.728 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.7295 | 0.72 | 0.731 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.7314 | 0.726 | 0.735 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.7124 | 0.707 | 0.726 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.7552 | 0.663 | 0.878 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.9326 | 0.878 | 0.956 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.9577 | 0.956 | 0.959 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.9654 | 0.959 | 0.967 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.967 | 0.967 | 0.967 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.967 | 0.967 | 0.967 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.967 | 0.967 | 0.967 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9658 | 0.965 | 0.967 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9585 | 0.949 | 0.969 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 16 Seychelles 0.966 compare
- 17 Costa Rica 0.962 compare
- 18 Taiwan 0.961 compare
- 20 Australia 0.957 compare
- 21 Netherlands 0.95 compare
- 22 Italy 0.945 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 individual liberties and equality before the law index in Japan?
- Individual liberties and equality before the law index in Japan was 0.958 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest individual liberties and equality before the law index recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 0.969 in 2023.
- What is the lowest individual liberties and equality before the law index recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.073 in 1790.
- How does Japan rank for individual liberties and equality before the law index?
- Japan ranks 19th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is individual liberties and equality before the law index rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.7%. 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 Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law 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 extent to which citizens enjoy physical integrity rights, freedoms of religion, of movement, and from forced labor, as well as access to justice, laws are transparent, and public administration is impartial.