Japan passport power
Asia · PassRank 162 · ranked 4th of 199
The Japan passport has a PassRank score of 162 in 2026, placing it 4th of 199 worldwide and making it one of the strongest passport. Holders can enter 114 destinations visa-free, 37 with a visa on arrival and 11 via an eTA — that is 162 of 199 destinations with no visa needed in advance. A further 21 require an e-visa and 15 require a standard visa before travel.
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Japan passport at a glance
| Access type | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Visa-free | 114 |
| Visa on arrival | 37 |
| eTA / ETA | 11 |
| PassRank score (no visa needed in advance) | 162 |
| e-Visa | 21 |
| Visa required | 15 |
| No admission | 0 |
Source: Passport Index dataset (imorte/passport-index-data). Data as of June 2026.
PassRank score = visa-free + visa on arrival + eTA = 162. Snapshot 17 February 2026. Counts exclude the Japan itself. See how this is calculated.
Visa-free destinations (114)
Countries and territories the Japan passport can enter visa-free (days shown where the dataset records a limit):
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Albania | 90 days |
| Andorra | 90 days |
| Angola | 30 days |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 180 days |
| Argentina | 90 days |
| Armenia | 180 days |
| Austria | 90 days |
| Bahamas | 90 days |
| Barbados | 90 days |
| Belarus | 30 days |
| Belgium | 90 days |
| Belize | 90 days |
| Bolivia | 90 days |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 90 days |
| Botswana | 90 days |
| Brazil | 90 days |
| Brunei | 30 days |
| Bulgaria | 90 days |
| Chile | 90 days |
| China | 30 days |
| Colombia | 90 days |
| Costa Rica | 180 days |
| Croatia | 90 days |
| Cyprus | 90 days |
| Czech Republic | 90 days |
| Denmark | 90 days |
| Dominica | 180 days |
| Dominican Republic | 30 days |
| Ecuador | 90 days |
| El Salvador | 180 days |
| Estonia | 90 days |
| Fiji | 120 days |
| Finland | 90 days |
| France | 90 days |
| Georgia | 360 days |
| Germany | 90 days |
| Greece | 90 days |
| Grenada | 90 days |
| Guatemala | 90 days |
| Guyana | 90 days |
| Haiti | 90 days |
| Honduras | 90 days |
| Hong Kong | 90 days |
| Hungary | 90 days |
| Iceland | 90 days |
| Iran | 15 days |
| Ireland | 90 days |
| Italy | 90 days |
| Jamaica | 30 days |
| Kazakhstan | 30 days |
| Kiribati | 90 days |
| Kosovo | 90 days |
| Kyrgyzstan | 60 days |
| Laos | 15 days |
| Latvia | 90 days |
| Lesotho | 90 days |
| Liechtenstein | 90 days |
| Lithuania | 90 days |
| Luxembourg | 90 days |
| Macao | 90 days |
| Malaysia | 90 days |
| Malta | 90 days |
| Mauritius | 90 days |
| Mexico | 180 days |
| Micronesia | 30 days |
| Moldova | 90 days |
| Monaco | 90 days |
| Mongolia | 30 days |
| Montenegro | 90 days |
| Morocco | 90 days |
| Mozambique | 30 days |
| Netherlands | 90 days |
| Nicaragua | 90 days |
| North Macedonia | 90 days |
| Norway | 90 days |
| Palestine | — |
| Panama | 90 days |
| Paraguay | 90 days |
| Peru | 180 days |
| Philippines | 30 days |
| Poland | 90 days |
| Portugal | 90 days |
| Romania | 90 days |
| Saint Lucia | 42 days |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 90 days |
| San Marino | 90 days |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 15 days |
| Senegal | 90 days |
| Serbia | 90 days |
| Seychelles | 90 days |
| Singapore | 30 days |
| Slovakia | 90 days |
| Slovenia | 90 days |
| South Africa | 90 days |
| South Korea | 90 days |
| Spain | 90 days |
| Swaziland | 30 days |
| Sweden | 90 days |
| Switzerland | 90 days |
| Taiwan | 90 days |
| Tajikistan | 30 days |
| Thailand | 60 days |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 90 days |
| Tunisia | 90 days |
| Turkey | 90 days |
| Ukraine | 90 days |
| United Arab Emirates | 90 days |
| Uruguay | 90 days |
| Uzbekistan | 30 days |
| Vanuatu | 120 days |
| Vatican | 90 days |
| Venezuela | 90 days |
| Vietnam | 45 days |
| Zambia | 90 days |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Visa on arrival (37)
Destinations that issue the Japan passport a visa on arrival (effectively visa-free, paid at the border):
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Azerbaijan | — |
| Bahrain | — |
| Bangladesh | — |
| Burundi | — |
| Cambodia | — |
| Cape Verde | — |
| Comoros | — |
| Djibouti | — |
| Egypt | — |
| Ethiopia | — |
| Guinea-Bissau | — |
| India | — |
| Indonesia | — |
| Jordan | — |
| Kuwait | — |
| Lebanon | — |
| Madagascar | — |
| Malawi | — |
| Maldives | — |
| Marshall Islands | — |
| Myanmar | — |
| Namibia | — |
| Nepal | — |
| Oman | — |
| Palau | — |
| Qatar | — |
| Rwanda | — |
| Samoa | — |
| Saudi Arabia | — |
| Sierra Leone | — |
| Solomon Islands | — |
| Sri Lanka | — |
| Tanzania | — |
| Timor-Leste | — |
| Tonga | — |
| Tuvalu | — |
| Zimbabwe | — |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Electronic travel authorisation / eTA (11)
Destinations requiring only an online eTA (e.g. ESTA, eTA, eVisitor) for the Japan passport — quick to obtain and counted toward the PassRank score:
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Australia | — |
| Canada | — |
| Israel | — |
| Ivory Coast | — |
| Kenya | — |
| New Zealand | — |
| Papua New Guinea | — |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | — |
| Suriname | — |
| United Kingdom | — |
| United States | — |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
e-Visa required (21)
Destinations that require an e-visa obtained before travel (not counted in the PassRank score):
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Benin | — |
| Bhutan | — |
| Burkina Faso | — |
| Cameroon | — |
| Chad | — |
| Cuba | — |
| DR Congo | — |
| Equatorial Guinea | — |
| Gabon | — |
| Guinea | — |
| Iraq | — |
| Libya | — |
| Mauritania | — |
| Nigeria | — |
| Pakistan | — |
| Russia | — |
| Somalia | — |
| South Sudan | — |
| Syria | — |
| Togo | — |
| Uganda | — |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Visa required in advance (15)
Destinations where Japan passport holders must obtain a standard visa before travelling:
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | — |
| Algeria | — |
| Central African Republic | — |
| Congo | — |
| Eritrea | — |
| Gambia | — |
| Ghana | — |
| Liberia | — |
| Mali | — |
| Nauru | — |
| Niger | — |
| North Korea | — |
| Sudan | — |
| Turkmenistan | — |
| Yemen | — |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many countries can Japan passport holders visit visa-free?
The Japan passport has a PassRank score of 162, meaning holders can enter 162 of 199 destinations without arranging a visa in advance: 114 visa-free, 37 with a visa on arrival and 11 via an eTA. A further 21 require an e-visa and 15 require a standard visa. Snapshot 17 February 2026.
What is the Japan passport's rank in 2026?
The Japan passport ranks 4th out of 199 on the PassRank index in 2026, with a score of 162. PassRank counts destinations reachable visa-free, on arrival or via eTA; it is our own methodology and may differ from commercial indices.
Does Japan need a visa for the United States?
Japan passport holders use an eTA (ESTA) for the United States rather than a full visa. Apply via the official ESTA site before travel.
How is the Japan PassRank score calculated?
We count every destination the Japan passport can enter with no visa required before travel: visa-free (114), visa on arrival (37) and eTA/ETA (11). e-Visas are excluded because they must be obtained in advance. The data is a dated snapshot from the open passport-index dataset (passportindex.org). See the methodology page for details.
Compare with similar passports
- South Korea — PassRank 163 (2nd) · compare Japan vs South Korea
- Spain — PassRank 161 (5th) · compare Japan vs Spain
- Singapore — PassRank 163 (2nd) · compare Japan vs Singapore
- Belgium — PassRank 160 (6th) · compare Japan vs Belgium
- United Arab Emirates — PassRank 169 (1st) · compare Japan vs United Arab Emirates
- Denmark — PassRank 160 (6th) · compare Japan vs Denmark
See the full ranking, the Asia ranking, or all head-to-head comparisons.
Source & accuracy
Access data is a dated snapshot from the open passport-index dataset (MIT packaging; data from passportindex.org), captured 17 February 2026. The PassRank score is our own transparent count and may differ from commercial indices. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice — visa rules change frequently; always verify the current requirement with the destination's official government source before booking travel. PassRank is not affiliated with Passport Index or Henley & Partners.
Last updated: 2026-06-21