Japan topped the 2018 Henley Index, which ranks countries according to how many destinations its passport allows visa-free access to.
Japan has overtaken Singapore to take the title as the world’s most powerful passport.
Japan topped the 2018 Henley Index, which ranks countries according to how many destinations its passport allows visa-free access to.
Its rise to the top comes courtesy of the country gaining visa-free access to Myanmar this month, bringing its visa-free access to a total of 190 destinations.
Singapore’s passport currently opens access to 189 destinations, according to a statement by global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners, which compiles the index.
The index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association.
Tied for third place are Germany, South Korea and France, with 188 visa-free destinations.
Former top spot holders the United States and the United Kingdom, who tied for first place in 2015, are now at fifth after sliding down one spot.
At the bottom of the stack are Iraq and Afghanistan (106) with just 30 destinations.
Fast-rising destinations are the United Arab Emirates, which rose from 62nd in 2006 to 21st place currently — the most powerful passport in the Middle East – and China, which has risen by 14 places since the beginning of 2017.
The countries in the top ten positions of the 2018 Henley Passport index are:
1. Japan (190 countries)
2. Singapore (189)
3. Germany, France, South Korea (188)
4. Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Italy (187)
5. United Kingdom, United States, Austria, Portugal, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway (186)
6. Canada, Belgium, Ireland, Switzerland (185)
7. Greece, Malta, Australia (183)
8. New Zealand, Czech Republic (182)
9. Iceland (181)
10. Malaysia, Hungary, Slovenia (180)