Japan has reclaimed its position among the countries with the world's most powerful passport, sharing top spot with five others based on the number of destinations its holders can access visa free, according to a recent survey by a consultancy firm.
Japan, Singapore, France, Germany, Italy and Spain lead the rankings with visa-free access to 194 out of 227 global destinations, according to the latest survey on passport power released by Henley & Partners Holdings Ltd. on Wednesday.
Japan previously had the most powerful passport from 2018 but fell to third place in the rankings released in July 2023 after the number of locations subject to visa-free access dropped to 189.
South Korea, Finland, and Sweden came in second with visa-free travel to 193 destinations, followed by four European Union countries -- Austria, Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands -- with access to 192 locations.
The United Arab Emirates has registered a remarkable rise, jumping 44 places over the past decade to stand 11th after adding 106 destinations, it said.
The ranking covers 199 passports and their ability to get visa-free or visa-on-arrival status at 227 destinations, based on data from the International Air Transport Association and Henley & Partners' independent research.
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