Overview of Human Rights in Japan

Japan is a conventional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. The government works to respect the civil and human rights of its citizens; however, some problems were reported in recent years. There have been reports of police and prison officials physically and/or psychologically abusing detainees and prisoners. Sometimes, the officials are dismissed, however, most incidences occur without oversight. Society often discriminates against the Burakumin, the Ainu, and alien residents. Child abuse and child prostitution also continue to be problems in Japan. While human trafficking was once a serious issue, the government has made significant progress in law enactment and enforcement to combat this practice. 

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank: 7th out of 177

Note: Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the level of well-being of nations in the world. It uses factors such as poverty, literacy, life-expectancy, education, gross domestic product, and purchasing power parity to assess the average achievements in each nation. It has been used in the United Nation’s Human Development Report since 1993.