ExploPassport comparison · 2026 data
Japanese passport vs British passport: which is stronger?
The Japanese passport is stronger: it reaches 162 destinations without an embassy visit, 2 more than the British passport (160).
Side by side
| Measure | Japanese passport | British passport |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | 12 of 197 | 20 of 197 |
| Without an embassy visit | 162 | 160 |
| Visa-free | 115 | 116 |
| Visa on arrival | 38 | 36 |
| eTA | 9 | 8 |
| e-Visa | 18 | 17 |
| Visa required | 16 | 19 |
Counts are out of the other 196 sovereign countries. “Without an embassy visit” is visa-free, visa on arrival and eTA together.
Places the Japanese passport can enter without an embassy visit and the British passport cannot 5
Places the British passport can enter without an embassy visit and the Japanese passport cannot 3
What both can enter
156 countries are open to both passports without an embassy visit. The two home countries are not counted in these lists.
Compare with another passport
Questions
Which is stronger, the Japanese passport or the British passport?
The Japanese passport is stronger: it reaches 162 destinations without an embassy visit, 2 more than the British passport (160). The Japanese passport ranks 12 of 197 and the British passport ranks 20.
How many countries can the Japanese passport and the British passport enter without an embassy visit?
The Japanese passport: 162 (115 visa-free, 38 on arrival, 9 eTA). The British passport: 160 (116 visa-free, 36 on arrival, 8 eTA). Both count the 196 other sovereign countries.
Where can one passport go that the other cannot?
The Japanese passport can enter 5 countries without an embassy visit that the British passport cannot, among them China, India, Azerbaijan, Honduras and Iran. The British passport can enter 3 countries without an embassy visit that the Japanese passport cannot, among them Burkina Faso, Gambia and Somalia. Both passports can enter 156 of the same countries without an embassy visit. The two home countries are left out of these counts.
How is passport strength measured here?
We count the other 196 sovereign countries a passport can enter with visa-free entry, a visa on arrival or an eTA. An e-Visa counts as a visa. The data is the open Passport Index dataset, last updated 18 February 2026. Other indexes count differently, so their rankings can differ, and rules change often, so check the official source before you book.
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Get ExploEntry rules come from the open Passport Index dataset by Ilya Ilyankou (MIT), last updated 18 February 2026. Governments change rules often, so treat this as a guide and check with the embassy or the official immigration site before you book.