Political Polarization Score in Japan
Japan: Political Polarization Score was -1.74 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
-1.74
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
161st
of 174 countries
All-time high
-0.65
in 1960
All-time low
-2.27
in 1994
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Political Polarization Score in Japan, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Japan recorded -1.74 for political polarization score in 2025.
That represents a change of down 27.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, political polarization score in Japan peaked at -0.65 in 1960 and was at its lowest, -2.27, in 1994.
That places Japan 161st out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 126 years of available data.
Political Polarization Score in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -1.31 | — |
| 1901 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -1.31 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -1.71 | +30.0% |
| 1921 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -0.977 | -42.8% |
| 1931 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -0.977 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -1.34 | +37.5% |
| 1947 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -0.65 | -51.6% |
| 1961 | -1.76 | +170.5% |
| 1962 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -2.27 | +29.1% |
| 1995 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -2.27 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | -1.52 | -33.1% |
| 2013 | -1.52 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -1.52 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -1.36 | -10.0% |
| 2016 | -1.36 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -1.36 | -0.0% |
| 2018 | -1.36 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | -1.36 | -0.0% |
| 2020 | -1.74 | +27.3% |
| 2021 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
| 2022 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
| 2023 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's -1.74 is below the median for high income countries, which is -0.532, 3.3× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Japan's -1.74 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -0.7055, 2.5× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -1.31 | -1.31 | -1.31 | 10 |
| 1910s | -1.31 | -1.31 | -1.31 | 10 |
| 1920s | -1.71 | -1.71 | -1.71 | 10 |
| 1930s | -0.977 | -0.977 | -0.977 | 10 |
| 1940s | -1.12 | -1.34 | -0.977 | 10 |
| 1950s | -1.34 | -1.34 | -1.34 | 10 |
| 1960s | -1.65 | -1.76 | -0.65 | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.76 | -1.76 | -1.76 | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.76 | -1.76 | -1.76 | 10 |
| 1990s | -2.06 | -2.27 | -1.76 | 10 |
| 2000s | -2.27 | -2.27 | -2.27 | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.59 | -2.27 | -1.36 | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.74 | -1.74 | -1.74 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Japan
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 political polarization score in Japan?
- Political polarization score in Japan was -1.74 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest political polarization score recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was -0.65 in 1960.
- What is the lowest political polarization score recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.27 in 1994.
- How does Japan rank for political polarization score?
- Japan ranks 161st out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is political polarization score rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Political Polarization Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which society is divided into hostile political camps, where political differences undermine social relationships and discourage interaction across ideological lines.