Japan: Business freedom

The latest value from 2026 is 78 points, unchanged from 78 points in 2025. In comparison, the world average is 62 points, based on data from 182 countries. Historically, the average for Japan from 1995 to 2026 is 82 points. The minimum value, 70 points, was reached in 2002 while the maximum of 91 points was recorded in 2007. See the global rankings for that indicator or use the country comparator to compare trends over time.

The Business Freedom index for Japan from The Heritage Foundation measures the ability to start, operate, and close a business. It reflects the overall burden of regulations and the efficiency of the government of Japan in the regulatory process.

Definition: The Business freedom index is based on 10 indicators, using data from the World Bank’s Doing Business study: Starting a business-procedures (number), time (days), cost (% of income per capita), and minimum capital (% of income per capita); Obtaining a license—procedures (number), time (days), and cost (% of income per capita); Closing a business—time (years), cost (% of estate), and recovery rate (cents on the dollar).