China vs Japan Passport Comparison

China flag

China

ASIA

56
Rank
Visa-Free Access82 countries

The China passport currently offers a visa-free or visa-on-arrival count of 82 destinations, reflecting a significant upward trend in travel mobility over the last two...

Japan flag

Japan

ASIA

2
Rank
Visa-Free Access187 countries

The Japan passport currently offers exceptional travel mobility, ranking 2nd globally for 2026 according to the provided data. Japanese citizens benefit from an extens...

China vs Japan Passport Comparison Overview (2026)

This comparison analyzes visa-free access, ranking trends, and mobility metrics for China vs Japan. Japan currently leads this comparison with 187 visa-free destinations, while China has 82. Use the detailed sections below to compare practical travel access and historical changes.

  • 38 visa-free destinations are shared by all compared passports.
  • The largest exclusive advantage is 101 destination(s) unique to one passport in this comparison.
  • Ranking and access figures are rendered from country ranking history with a 2026-first year preference.

Detailed Passport Metrics

Detailed Comparison

Visa-Free Destinations

2026 Ranking

Global Mobility Score

China
32/100
Japan
83/100

Openness Score

China
72/100
Japan
95/100

Continent

China
ASIA
Japan
ASIA

Schengen Member

Citizenship by Investment

Residency by Investment

Visa on Arrival

eTA Available

e-Visa Available

Visa Required

Summary Insights

Comparison Summary & Recommendations

Overall Winner

Japan

With 187 visa-free destinations, Japan offers the most global mobility among the compared passports.

Schengen Area Access

Japan

Japan is a Schengen Area member, providing free movement across 27 European countries.

Most Unique Access

Japan

Japan provides exclusive visa-free access to 101 destinations not accessible with the other passports.

Key Insights

  • All compared passports share access to 38 common destinations
  • The strongest passport offers 187 visa-free destinations
  • Consider your travel priorities: business, leisure, or specific regions when choosing a passport
  • Visa requirements can change - always verify current entry requirements before traveling

Visa Access Breakdown

Visa Access Analysis

Understanding the overlap and unique access each passport provides

38
Shared Destinations
9
Unique to China
101
Unique to Japan

Exclusive Visa-Free Access

China flag

China

9 unique destinations

BeninComoro IslandsEgyptGuineaMaldivesMalawiCubaAzerbaijanSolomon Islands
Japan flag

Japan

101 unique destinations

ChinaMexicoSouth KoreaAndorraAnguillaArgentinaArubaAustriaBelgiumBelize+91 more
Note: Exclusive visa-free access means destinations that are only accessible visa-free with that specific passport and not with any of the other compared passports.

Shared Visa-Free Destinations (38)

Countries that all compared passports can access visa-free

Antigua and BarbudaBahamasBarbadosBelarusBosnia and HerzegovinaCook IslandsDominicaFijiGrenadaHaitiIraqJamaicaMauritiusMicronesiaMoroccoNorthern Mariana IslandsOmanSerbiaSt. LuciaSurinameTunisiaTurks and Caicos IslandsUnited Arab EmiratesUzbekistanVanuatuBritish Virgin IslandsKazakhstanAlbaniaThailandZambiaAngolaMalaysiaSingaporeGeorgiaKiribatiArmeniaIranBrunei

Historical Ranking Trends

Ranking Trends Over Time

Historical passport ranking comparison from 2006 to 2026 (lower rank is better)

YearChina RankJapan RankChina Visa-freeJapan Visa-free
200678318128
200778300
200879433154
200979400
201088638160
201190440170
201292541165
201382444170
201483345172
201594345171
201687550173
201785551172
201871174190
201972171190
202067175191
202172179192
202264180192
202366180193
202462185194
202560285193
202656282187

Each cell shows rank and visa-free count for that year.

Destinations

Notable Visa-Free Destinations

Representative destinations that highlight each passport's strongest visa-free access profile.

China

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belarus
  • Benin
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina

Japan

  • Singaporeup to 90 days
  • Thailandup to 15 days
  • South Koreaup to 90 days
  • United Statesup to 90 days
  • United Kingdomup to 180 days