Abstract: Based on the fourth wave of Asian Barometer survey data, this paper explores how government quality affects national identity from a cross-border comparative perspective. The research has found that government quality has a complex impact on national identity, which is manifested in the presence of national differences in the impact of government quality on national identity, as well as the different dimensions of government quality that have different impacts on national identity. The difference across countries is reflected in the stronger influence of government quality in China and South Korea than in Japan, and this difference is reflected in the three dimensions of democratic quality, economic performance, and perceived integrity. Therefore, in order to avoid the emergence of a “national identity crisis,” governments at all levels must strive to improve in quality, starting from themselves.

Key words: government quality, national identity, democratic quality, economic performance, perception of integrity