Japan placed 66th in the 2025 press freedom rankings announced by Reporters Without Borders on Friday, the lowest among the Group of Seven major countries.
I think the two things that negatively surprised me the most about Japan when I moved there and started talking to people:
First are that the press has less freedom than you’d expect for a democracy. I learned this after becoming friends with a local member of the Communist party.
Second, that although the police on the street are incredibly kind and helpful, often going out of their way for people, if you do get arrested, the treatment of prisoners is pretty bad. They are very good at getting confessions, even out of innocent people.
A conviction rate of over 99% and 99.8% in criminal cases strongly suggests a combination of not pursuing justice in many cases, outright framing people when necessary, and abusive behavior by police to force confessions for the need to solve cases.
I can speak somewhat passable Japanese and I’ve made a few close friends in Japan on trips there and online but I don’t think I could live there given some of the serious systemic issues with their justice and political system. That said I’m coming from America so who the fuck am I to talk I suppose
The United States ranked 57th, down by two positions, and was second to last among the G7 countries.
Hold my beer…
For real. I feel like the US will “win” in reaching the bottom of press freedom very soon.
Pechsonally I’m anxiously awaiting the 2025 Economist Democracy Index.
