Japan vs South Korea Passport Comparison
Japan
ASIA
#2
Rank
Visa-Free Access187 countries
South Korea
ASIA
#3
Rank
Visa-Free Access187 countries
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-Free Destinations | 187 | 187 |
| 2026 Ranking | #2 | #3 |
| Global Mobility Score | 83/100 | 85/100 |
| Openness Score | 95/100 | 85/100 |
| Continent | ASIA | ASIA |
| Schengen Member | Yes | Yes |
| Citizenship by Investment | No | No |
| Residency by Investment | No | No |
| Visa on Arrival | 36 | 40 |
| eTA Available | 14 | 15 |
| e-Visa Available | 20 | 20 |
| Visa Required | 17 | 16 |
Visa-Free Destinations
Japan
187
South Korea
187
2026 Ranking
Japan
#2
Global Mobility Score
Japan
83/100
South Korea
85/100
Openness Score
Japan
95/100
South Korea
85/100
Continent
Japan
ASIA
South Korea
ASIA
Schengen Member
Japan
Yes
South Korea
Yes
Citizenship by Investment
Japan
No
Residency by Investment
Japan
No
Visa on Arrival
Japan
36
eTA Available
Japan
14
e-Visa Available
Japan
20
Visa Required
Japan
17
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 6 destinations not accessible with the other passports.
Key Insights
- • All compared passports share access to 133 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 Analysis
Understanding the overlap and unique access each passport provides
133
Shared Destinations
6
Unique to Japan
2
Unique to South Korea
Exclusive Visa-Free Access
Japan
6 unique destinations
South KoreaBoliviaCayman IslandsUnited Arab EmiratesTajikistanIran
South Korea
2 unique destinations
The GambiaJapan
Shared Visa-Free Destinations (133)
Countries that all compared passports can access visa-free
ChinaMexicoAlbaniaAndorraAnguillaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustriaBahamasBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBermudaBonaire; St. Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBruneiBulgariaChileColombiaCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCuracaoCyprusCzechiaDenmarkDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEl SalvadorEstoniaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench West IndiesGeorgiaGermanyGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenada+83 more destinations
Ranking Trends Over Time (Server Rendered)
Historical passport ranking comparison from 2006 to 2025 (lower rank is better)
2025 Snapshot
Japan
Rank: #2
Visa-free: 193
South Korea
Rank: #3
Visa-free: 192
Recent Historical Ranks
| Year | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2 (193) | #3 (192) |
| 2024 | #1 (194) | #2 (193) |
| 2023 | #1 (193) | #2 (192) |
| 2022 | #1 (192) | #2 (190) |
| 2021 | #1 (192) | #2 (190) |
| 2020 | #1 (191) | #3 (189) |
| 2019 | #1 (190) | #2 (188) |
| 2018 | #1 (190) | #3 (188) |
| 2017 | #5 (172) | #7 (170) |
| 2016 | #5 (173) | #6 (172) |
Each cell shows rank and visa-free count for that year.