France vs Japan Passport Comparison

France flag

France

EUROPE

4
Rank
Visa-Free Access185 countries

The France passport is among the most powerful travel documents globally, currently holding a high position in the 2026 passport ranking. Offering exceptional travel m...

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...

France vs Japan Passport Comparison Overview (2026)

This comparison analyzes visa-free access, ranking trends, and mobility metrics for France vs Japan. Japan currently leads this comparison with 187 visa-free destinations, while France has 185. Use the detailed sections below to compare practical travel access and historical changes.

  • 134 visa-free destinations are shared by all compared passports.
  • The largest exclusive advantage is 13 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

France
83/100
Japan
83/100

Openness Score

France
94/100
Japan
95/100

Continent

France
EUROPE
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

France

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

Most Unique Access

France

France provides exclusive visa-free access to 13 destinations not accessible with the other passports.

Key Insights

  • All compared passports share access to 134 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

134
Shared Destinations
13
Unique to France
5
Unique to Japan

Exclusive Visa-Free Access

France flag

France

13 unique destinations

JapanCape Verde IslandsMarshall IslandsPalau IslandsSamoaSeychellesSolomon IslandsTimor-LesteTongaTuvalu+3 more
Japan flag

Japan

5 unique destinations

FranceGuamLaosNorthern Mariana IslandsIran
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 (134)

Countries that all compared passports can access visa-free

BelarusSouth KoreaAlbaniaAndorraAnguillaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustriaBahamasBarbadosBelgiumBelizeBermudaBoliviaBonaire; St. Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBruneiBulgariaCayman IslandsChileColombiaCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCuracaoCyprusCzechiaDenmarkDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEl SalvadorEstoniaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench West IndiesGeorgiaGermanyGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenada+84 more destinations

Historical Ranking Trends

Ranking Trends Over Time

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

YearFrance RankJapan RankFrance Visa-freeJapan Visa-free
200633128128
20074300
200864152154
20096400
201056161160
201134171170
201235167165
201344170170
201433172172
201533171171
201635175173
201745173172
201831188190
201941186190
202061186191
202151187192
202241188192
202361187193
202411194194
202532192193
202642185187

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.

France

  • Japanup to 90 days
  • Singaporeup to 90 days
  • Thailandup to 30 days
  • United Statesup to 90 days
  • Brazilup to 90 days

Japan

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