Light-diffusing element, polarizing plate having light-diffusing element attached thereto, polarizing element, and liquid crystal display device equipped with those components

A light diffusing element, comprising:

• a first region having a first refractive index n1;
• a refractive index modulation region having a substantially spherical shell shape and surrounding the first region;
• and
• a second region having a second refractive index n2, the second region being positioned on a side of the refractive index modulation region opposite to the first region,
• wherein the light diffusing element satisfies the following expressions (1) and (2):
• 0.0006≦Δn/L (1)
• 10≦(Δn)2×A×B≦100 (2)
• where Δn represents an absolute value |n1−n2| of a difference between the first refractive index n1 and the second refractive index n2, L (nm) represents an average thickness of the refractive index modulation region, a unit of Δn/L is (nm−1), A represents a number of parts by weight of a material forming the first region with respect to 100 parts by weight of the entire light diffusing element, and B represents a number of parts by weight of a material forming the second region with respect to 100 parts by weight of the entire light diffusing element.