What is rule of law index in Japan?

Rule of law index in Japan was 0.956 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest rule of law index recorded in Japan?

The highest recorded value was 0.96 in 1998.

What is the lowest rule of law index recorded in Japan?

The lowest recorded value was 0.33 in 1789.

How does Japan rank for rule of law index?

Japan ranks 18th out of 173 countries with data for 2025.

Is rule of law index rising or falling in Japan?

Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Japan data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Rule of Law Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Rule of Law Index in Japan

Name: Rule of Law Index in Japan
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Japan: Rule of Law Index was 0.956 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.956

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

18th

of 173 countries

All-time high

0.96

in 1998

All-time low

0.33

in 1789

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Rule of Law Index in Japan, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, rule of law index in Japan stood at 0.956.

The figure is up 0.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, rule of law index in Japan peaked at 0.96 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 0.33, in 1789.

Japan ranks 18th of 173 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.33	0.33	0.33	1
1790s	0.33	0.33	0.33	10
1800s	0.33	0.33	0.33	10
1810s	0.33	0.33	0.33	10
1820s	0.33	0.33	0.33	10
1830s	0.33	0.33	0.33	10
1840s	0.33	0.33	0.33	10
1850s	0.3338	0.33	0.349	10
1860s	0.4743	0.455	0.573	10
1870s	0.7473	0.725	0.775	10
1880s	0.7444	0.741	0.775	10
1890s	0.7778	0.776	0.785	10
1900s	0.8546	0.848	0.858	10
1910s	0.8479	0.844	0.85	10
1920s	0.8472	0.846	0.848	10
1930s	0.846	0.846	0.846	10
1940s	0.8722	0.846	0.933	10
1950s	0.9451	0.933	0.952	10
1960s	0.952	0.952	0.952	10
1970s	0.9574	0.952	0.958	10
1980s	0.9544	0.952	0.955	10
1990s	0.9572	0.955	0.96	10
2000s	0.96	0.96	0.96	10
2010s	0.9549	0.949	0.96	10
2020s	0.958	0.956	0.96	6

Countries ranked near Japan

15 France 0.967 compare
16 Belgium 0.964 compare
17 Canada 0.963 compare
19 United Kingdom 0.955 compare
20 Chile 0.951 compare
21 Spain 0.947 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for Japan

Spring temperature anomalies 1.24 °C (2026)
Summer temperature anomalies 0.1053 °C (2026)
Temperature anomalies by month -0.7172 °C (2026)
Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
Autumn temperature anomalies 1.9 °C (2025)
Winter temperature anomalies 0.5865 °C (2025)
Consumer price index 118.04 2010 = 100 (2025)
Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
Competitive elections 1 (2025)
Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is rule of law index in Japan?: Rule of law index in Japan was 0.956 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest rule of law index recorded in Japan?: The highest recorded value was 0.96 in 1998.
What is the lowest rule of law index recorded in Japan?: The lowest recorded value was 0.33 in 1789.
How does Japan rank for rule of law index?: Japan ranks 18th out of 173 countries with data for 2025.
Is rule of law index rising or falling in Japan?: Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Japan data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Rule of 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

Indicator: Rule of Law Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,303 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which the government complies with the law, courts are independent, laws transparent, justice accessible, corruption absent, and the bureaucracy is impartial.