Japan vs South Korea passport
South Korea is the stronger passport, with a PassRank score of 163 vs 162. The Japan passport ranks 4th and the South Korea passport ranks 2nd of 199. They share visa-free-style access to 161 destinations. Japan can reach 0 places visa-free that South Korea cannot, while South Korea can reach 1 that Japan cannot.
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Japan vs South Korea side by side
| Metric | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| PassRank score | 162 | 163 |
| World rank | #4 | #2 |
| Visa-free | 114 | 114 |
| Visa on arrival | 37 | 38 |
| eTA / ETA | 11 | 11 |
| e-Visa | 21 | 21 |
| Visa required | 15 | 14 |
Where Japan beats South Korea (0)
Destinations the Japan passport can enter visa-free, on arrival or via eTA, but the South Korea passport cannot:
None — the South Korea passport matches or exceeds the Japan passport on every destination in this snapshot.
Where South Korea beats Japan (1)
Destinations the South Korea passport can enter visa-free, on arrival or via eTA, but the Japan passport cannot:
| Destination |
|---|
| Russia |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Which passport is stronger, Japan or South Korea?
South Korea is the stronger passport, with a PassRank score of 163 vs 162. The PassRank score counts destinations reachable visa-free, on arrival or via eTA. Japan ranks 4th and South Korea ranks 2nd of 199. Snapshot 17 February 2026.
Where can a Japan passport holder go that a South Korea holder can't?
There are no destinations the Japan passport can enter visa-free that the South Korea passport cannot, per the snapshot.
Where can a South Korea passport holder go that a Japan holder can't?
There are 1 destinations the South Korea passport can enter visa-free (or on arrival / via eTA) that the Japan passport cannot, including Russia.
How many destinations can both Japan and South Korea passports enter visa-free?
Both passports can enter 161 of 199 destinations without a visa in advance (visa-free, on arrival or via eTA). Japan has 0 extra and South Korea has 1 extra over the other.
Keep exploring
Data is a dated snapshot (17 February 2026) from the open passport-index dataset. This is general information, not immigration advice — verify current rules with each destination's official source. PassRank is not affiliated with Passport Index or Henley & Partners.
Last updated: 2026-06-21