Japan keeps top spot in passport power ranking

October 2, 2019

London--Japan and Singapore retained their place atop a ranking of countries with powerful passports, British consulting firm Henley & Partners said in a survey report Tuesday.

Japan has maintained the No. 1 spot in the quarterly report of the Henley Passport Index, which ranks countries according to the number of destinations passport holders can access without a prior visa, since the beginning of 2018. Holders of Japanese and Singaporean passport have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access into 190 countries and regions.

Germany, Finland and South Korea followed, with access to 188 destinations without a prior visa.

"There is a strong correlation between visa freedom and other benefits such as business and investment freedom, independence of the judiciary, fiscal health, and property rights," Christian Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners, said in a statement. Henley & Partners provides its clients with international migration and other services.

Among countries to which Japanese passport holders do not have access without a visa are North Korea, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Russia, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Cameroon. Jiji Press