diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-data.yaml b/.github/workflows/validate-data.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e7e3421
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-data.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+name: Validate data_v1.json
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+
+jobs:
+  validate-json:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Validate JSON format
+        run: |
+          python scripts/validate_json.py Dictionary/data_v1.json
diff --git a/scripts/validate_json.py b/scripts/validate_json.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ccf3675
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/validate_json.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+import json
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+REQUIRED_METADATA_KEYS = {"status", "name", "description", "version", "last_update"}
+REQUIRED_ENTRY_KEYS = {"word", "ruby", "word_weight", "lcid", "rcid", "mid", "date", "author"}
+
+
+def validate(path: Path) -> bool:
+    try:
+        text = path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        data = json.loads(text)
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"Failed to load JSON: {e}")
+        return False
+
+    if not isinstance(data, dict):
+        print("Top level must be an object")
+        return False
+
+    if "metadata" not in data or "data" not in data:
+        print("JSON must contain 'metadata' and 'data' keys")
+        return False
+
+    meta = data["metadata"]
+    if not isinstance(meta, dict) or not REQUIRED_METADATA_KEYS.issubset(meta):
+        print("'metadata' must contain keys: " + ", ".join(sorted(REQUIRED_METADATA_KEYS)))
+        return False
+
+    entries = data["data"]
+    if not isinstance(entries, list):
+        print("'data' must be a list")
+        return False
+
+    for i, entry in enumerate(entries):
+        if not isinstance(entry, dict):
+            print(f"Entry {i} must be an object")
+            return False
+        missing = REQUIRED_ENTRY_KEYS - set(entry)
+        if missing:
+            print(f"Entry {i} missing keys: {', '.join(sorted(missing))}")
+            return False
+    return True
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    path = Path(sys.argv[1]) if len(sys.argv) > 1 else Path("Dictionary/data_v1.json")
+    success = validate(path)
+    if success:
+        print("Validation succeeded")
+        return 0
+    return 1
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())