Japan is the third-most peaceful country in the Asia-Pacific region and the 12th-most peaceful country globally, according to the recently released Global Peace Index 2025.

Each year, the Institute for Economics and Peace ranks countries on 23 different indicators selected by an expert panel. These include deaths from external organized conflict, political instability, nuclear and heavy weapons capabilities, and relations with neighboring countries.

Globally, Iceland and Ireland took the top spots, while Singapore, in sixth place, was the only country in Asia to reach the top 10.

In the Asia-Pacific region, Myanmar was ranked as the least peaceful country, followed by North Korea.

Surrounded by nuclear-armed North Korea and Russian territory as well as China’s aggression in the Taiwan Strait, Japan’s geography places it in close proximity to some of the biggest ongoing geopolitical tensions and conflicts.

Still, in 2025, Japan moved up three places in the global ranking, following declines in Malaysia and Canada.

In the category of “Safety and Security,” Japan took fourth place, above Singapore and below Finland.

Russia was ranked as the least peaceful country, followed by Ukraine and Sudan.

While diplomatic discussions are ongoing, Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine continues, while civil war in Sudan has resulted in “the world’s largest humanitarian crisis,” according to the U.N.

The least peaceful regions are the Middle East and North Africa.

Israel, South Sudan, Syria and Afghanistan also were near the bottom of the ranking.

Responding to an attack by Hamas in October 2023, Israel has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, 83% of them civilians, according to recent figures from health authorities in the Gaza Strip. The British medical journal, The Lancet, estimates that the death toll may be significantly higher.

This is the 19th year the Global Peace Index has been released, with the world becoming a less peaceful place over the past 17 years, according to the researchers.

“Many of the leading factors that precede major conflicts are higher than they have been since the end of WWII,” the report read, citing increasing militarization and geopolitical tensions, as well as rising economic uncertainty.

The successful resolution of conflicts was at its lowest point in 50 years.

“The international order is approaching a tipping point where rising economic fragmentation, accelerating re-armament and multiple competing spheres of influence are creating the conditions for the onset of large-scale conflict, and the associated economic destruction,” according to the report.

“Underscoring this is the sheer volume and geographic spread of currently active conflicts, alongside reductions in proactive conflict prevention initiatives, including reductions in funding for peacebuilding and development aid.”