The 2020 ranking of the “Democracy Index” ranking released annually by the “Economist Intelligence Unit” (EIU), a research division of the British Economist Newspaper, was announced on February 2, 2009, and Japan has been 3 since 2019. I raised it to 21st place.
Ranking is calculated by scoring countries around the world from five perspectives. Due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, lockdown (city blockade) and other compulsory measures have been taken, resulting in a decrease in global scores, while an increase in East Asian countries such as Japan. .. The Japanese government has been criticized for its measures against the new corona, but it is analyzed that the increase in points is due to “improvement of public confidence in the government.”
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According to the survey, each score was changed to “complete democracy” (10.0 to 8.0), “defective democracy” (7.9 to 6.0), “mixed type (of democracy and power system)” (5.9 to 4.9), and “power system”. Classification.Japan has returned to “complete democracy” for the first time in six years
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Lockdown France falls into “defective democracy”
The survey evaluated democracy in 176 countries around the world on a scale of 10 from the five perspectives of “election process and pluralism,” “government function,” “political participation,” “democratic political culture,” and “civil freedom.” “Complete democracy” (10.0-8.0) “Defective democracy” (7.9-6.0) “Mixed type (democracy and power system)” (5.9-4.0) “Power system” ”(3.9 to 0).
In 2020, the global average was 5.37 points, the lowest since the survey started in 2006. One of the causes is the response to the new corona, which was announced by EIU in 20 years.
“Ranking is a rating of countries that limit citizens’ freedom, fail to properly monitor the exercise of authority in emergencies, or deny freedom of expression, with or without public support for government measures. Has gone down. “
It explains. France was introduced as an example of this, and in 2019 it was ranked 20th with 8.12 points, but in 20 it dropped to 24th place with 7.99 points. In terms of classification, it fell from “complete democracy” to “defective democracy.”
In the United States, which is new to the turmoil of the presidential election, “political participation” has risen, but “government function” has declined. It decreased slightly from 7.96 points (25th place) in 19 to 7.92 points (25th place) in 20 years, and remained “defective democracy”.
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Japan becomes “complete democracy” for the first time in 6 years
Japan, which was 24th with 7.99 points in 2019, moved up to 21st with 8.13 points in 20. It has returned to “complete democracy” for the first time in six years since 2014. In the EIU report
“This change was brought about by increasing public confidence in the government.”
It has been pointed out, but there seems to be some disagreement from within Japan.
Japan ranks second in the Asia-Pacific region after New Zealand (9.25 points, 4th in the world), Australia (8.96 points, 9th in the world), and Taiwan (8.94 points, 11th in the world), and South Korea (8.01 points, 23rd in the world). By a small margin.
In particular, Taiwan has been highly evaluated from 7.73 points in 2019, 31st in the world. In the report, as a background, the high voter turnout including young people was recorded in the national election held in January 2008, and strong measures such as lockdown were not taken in the new corona measures, so residents voluntarily took measures. He mentioned that he was cooperating with.
Norway ranked first with 9.81 points, Iceland with 9.37 points, and Sweden with 9.26 points.
(Hiroshi Kudo, J-CAST News Editorial Department)
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