var highest = json[ Object.keys(obj).sort().pop() ];

var lastKey;
var json = {"20121207":"13", "20121211":"9", "20121213":"7", "20121219":"4"};
for(var key in json){
    if(json.hasOwnProperty(key)){
        lastKey = key;
    }
}
alert(lastKey + ': ' + json[lastKey]);

var lastKey = Object.keys(json).sort().reverse()[0];
var lastValue = json[lastKey];

var json = {"20121207":"13", "20121211":"9", "20121213":"7", "20121219":"4"};

function getMaxFromKeys(json) {
    var m;
    for (var i in json) {
        if (json.hasOwnProperty(i)) {
           m = (typeof m == 'undefined' || i > m) ? i : m;
        }
    }
    return m;
}

var latestDate = getMaxFromKeys(json);