Japan
Free
78
100
| A Obstacles to Access | 22 25 |
| B Limits on Content | 30 35 |
| C Violations of User Rights | 26 40 |
Last Year's Score & Status
78
100
Free
Scores are based on a scale of 0 (least free) to 100 (most free).
See the methodology and report acknowledgements.
Internet freedom remains robust in Japan. There are few obstacles to internet access, no blocks on websites, and the legal framework provides strong protections for various forms of expression.
- Internet service provider Docomo experienced an 11-hour mobile-service disruption in January 2025 because of a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack (A1 and C8).1
- In December 2024, a new ordinance aimed at fostering fair competition among technology companies took effect. The measure prohibits companies that operate app stores, operating systems, browsers, and search engines with at least 40 million Japanese users from favoring their own products over those of competitors (A5).2
- The government passed the Active Cyber Defense Bill in April 2025, empowering law enforcement greater latitude to stop cyberattacks by criminal groups and foreign-backed actors, and to collect information from telecommunications providers for investigations. The law has some safeguards in place, such as rules for handling sensitive data (C5 and C6).3
- 1“Japan's NTT Docomo reports system glitch after cyberattack,” Kyodo News, January 2, 2025, https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/01/b55ac0f59e7e-japans-ntt-doco…
- 2“Japan to regulate tech giants with at least 40 million users,” Japan Times, December 10, 2024, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/12/10/japan/crime-legal/japan-re….
- 3Josh Breaker-Rolfe, “Japan Passes Active Cyber Defense Bill,” Tripwire, April 1, 2025, https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/japan-passes-active-cyber-de…; Nate Nelson, “Japan Goes on Offense With New 'Active Cyber Defense' Bill,” February 12, 2025, https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2024121000162/.
Japan is a multiparty parliamentary democracy. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has governed almost continuously since 1955. Political rights and civil liberties are generally well respected. Outstanding challenges include ethnic and gender-based discrimination and claims of improperly close relations between government and the business sector.
This report has been abridged for Freedom on the Net 2025 due to ongoing budget constraints. Please consider making a donation to support future editions of this vital resource.
For additional background information, see last year’s full report.
A1
1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
| Do infrastructural limitations restrict access to the internet or the speed and quality of internet connections? | 6.006 6.006 |
A2
1.00-3.00 pts0-3 pts
| Is access to the internet prohibitively expensive or beyond the reach of certain segments of the population for geographical, social, or other reasons? | 3.003 3.003 |
A3
1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
| Does the government exercise technical or legal control over internet infrastructure for the purposes of restricting connectivity? | 6.006 6.006 |
A4
1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
| Are there legal, regulatory, or economic obstacles that restrict the diversity of service providers? | 5.005 6.006 |
A5
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Do national regulatory bodies that oversee service providers and digital technology fail to operate in a free, fair, and independent manner? | 2.002 4.004 |
B1
1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
| Does the state block or filter, or compel service providers to block or filter, internet content, particularly material that is protected by international human rights standards? | 6.006 6.006 |
B2
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Do state or nonstate actors employ legal, administrative, or other means to force publishers, content hosts, or digital platforms to delete content, particularly material that is protected by international human rights standards? | 3.003 4.004 |
B3
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Do restrictions on the internet and digital content lack transparency, proportionality to the stated aims, or an independent appeals process? | 3.003 4.004 |
B4
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Do online journalists, commentators, and ordinary users practice self-censorship? | 3.003 4.004 |
B5
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Are online sources of information controlled or manipulated by the government or other powerful actors to advance a particular political interest? | 3.003 4.004 |
B6
1.00-3.00 pts0-3 pts
| Are there economic or regulatory constraints that negatively affect users’ ability to publish content online? | 2.002 3.003 |
B7
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Does the online information landscape lack diversity and reliability? | 4.004 4.004 |
B8
1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
| Do conditions impede users’ ability to mobilize, form communities, and campaign, particularly on political and social issues? | 6.006 6.006 |
C1
1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
| Do the constitution or other laws fail to protect rights such as freedom of expression, access to information, and press freedom, including on the internet, and are they enforced by a judiciary that lacks independence? | 5.005 6.006 |
C2
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Are there laws that assign criminal penalties or civil liability for online activities, particularly those that are protected under international human rights standards? | 2.002 4.004 |
C3
1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
| Are individuals penalized for online activities, particularly those that are protected under international human rights standards? | 5.005 6.006 |
C4
1.00-4.00 pts0-4 pts
| Does the government place restrictions on anonymous communication or encryption? | 3.003 4.004 |
C5
1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
| Does state surveillance of internet activities infringe on users’ right to privacy? | 2.002 6.006 |
C6
1.00-6.00 pts0-6 pts
| Does monitoring and collection of user data by service providers and other technology companies infringe on users’ right to privacy? | 3.003 6.006 |
C7
1.00-5.00 pts0-5 pts
| Are individuals subject to extralegal intimidation or physical violence by state authorities or any other actor in relation to their online activities? | 4.004 5.005 |
C8
1.00-3.00 pts0-3 pts
| Are websites, governmental and private entities, service providers, or individual users subject to widespread hacking and other forms of cyberattack? | 2.002 3.003 |
Country Facts
-
Population
125,100,000 -
Global Freedom Score
96 100 free -
Internet Freedom Score
78 100 free -
Freedom in the World Status
Free -
Networks Restricted
No -
Websites Blocked
No -
Pro-government Commentators
Yes -
Users Arrested
No
