Passport guide · Japanese
Japanese passport: 164 visa-free destinations
Holders of a Japan passport have easy entry to 164 countries — 117 visa-free and 47 with visa on arrival. Below is the full, sourced list plus e-visa and visa-required countries.
117visa-free
47visa on arrival
18e-visa
16visa required
Visa-free destinations
Countries a Japanese passport holder can enter without arranging any visa in advance. Day-limit shown where available.
- AlbaniaVisa-free · 90 days
- AndorraVisa-free · 90 days
- AngolaVisa-free · 30 days
- Antigua and BarbudaVisa-free · 180 days
- ArgentinaVisa-free · 90 days
- ArmeniaVisa-free · 180 days
- AustriaVisa-free · 90 days
- BahamasVisa-free · 90 days
- BarbadosVisa-free · 90 days
- BelarusVisa-free · 30 days
- BelgiumVisa-free · 90 days
- BelizeVisa-free · 90 days
- BoliviaVisa-free · 90 days
- Bosnia and HerzegovinaVisa-free · 90 days
- BotswanaVisa-free · 90 days
- BrazilVisa-free · 90 days
- BruneiVisa-free · 90 days
- BulgariaVisa-free · 90 days
- ChileVisa-free · 90 days
- ChinaVisa-free · 30 days
- ColombiaVisa-free · 90 days
- Costa RicaVisa-free · 180 days
- CroatiaVisa-free · 90 days
- CyprusVisa-free · 90 days
- Czech RepublicVisa-free · 90 days
- DenmarkVisa-free · 90 days
- DominicaVisa-free · 180 days
- Dominican RepublicVisa-free
- EcuadorVisa-free · 90 days
- El SalvadorVisa-free · 180 days
- EstoniaVisa-free · 90 days
- FijiVisa-free · 120 days
- FinlandVisa-free · 90 days
- France✓Visa-free · 90 daysJapanese passport holders can enter France visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period for tourism and business purposes.Official source ↗
- GeorgiaVisa-free · 360 days
- Germany✓Visa-free · 90 daysJapanese passport holders do not need a visa for tourist stays up to 90 days in Germany.Official source ↗
- Greece✓Visa-free · 90 daysJapanese citizens can enter Greece visa-free for up to 90 days within a 180-day period as part of Schengen Area exemption.Official source ↗
- GrenadaVisa-free · 90 days
- GuatemalaVisa-free · 90 days
- GuyanaVisa-free · 90 days
- HaitiVisa-free · 90 days
- HondurasVisa-free · 90 days
- Hong KongVisa-free · 90 days
- HungaryVisa-free · 90 days
- IcelandVisa-free · 90 days
- IranVisa-free · 15 days
- IrelandVisa-free · 90 days
- IsraelVisa-free · 90 days
- Italy✓Visa-free · 90 daysJapanese citizens may enter Italy visa-free for tourism for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.Official source ↗
- JamaicaVisa-free · 30 days
- KazakhstanVisa-free · 30 days
- KiribatiVisa-free · 90 days
- KosovoVisa-free · 90 days
- KyrgyzstanVisa-free · 60 days
- LaosVisa-free · 15 days
- LatviaVisa-free · 90 days
- LesothoVisa-free · 90 days
- LiechtensteinVisa-free · 90 days
- LithuaniaVisa-free · 90 days
- LuxembourgVisa-free · 90 days
- MacaoVisa-free · 90 days
- Malaysia✓Visa-free · 90 daysJapanese citizens do not require a visa for tourist/social visits up to 90 days.Official source ↗
- MaltaVisa-free · 90 days
- MauritiusVisa-free · 90 days
- Mexico✓Visa-free · 180 daysJapanese nationals are visa-free for tourism in Mexico for up to 180 days.Official source ↗
- MicronesiaVisa-free · 30 days
- MoldovaVisa-free · 90 days
- MonacoVisa-free · 90 days
- MongoliaVisa-free · 30 days
- MontenegroVisa-free · 90 days
- MoroccoVisa-free · 90 days
- MozambiqueVisa-free · 30 days
- NamibiaVisa-free · 90 days
- Netherlands✓Visa-free · 90 daysJapanese nationals are visa-free for Netherlands as part of Schengen zone; max 90 days in any 180-day period.Official source ↗
- NicaraguaVisa-free · 90 days
- North MacedoniaVisa-free · 90 days
- NorwayVisa-free · 90 days
- PalestineVisa-free
- PanamaVisa-free · 90 days
- ParaguayVisa-free · 90 days
- PeruVisa-free · 180 days
- PhilippinesVisa-free · 30 days
- PolandVisa-free · 90 days
- PortugalVisa-free · 90 days
- RomaniaVisa-free · 90 days
- Saint Kitts and NevisVisa-free · 90 days
- Saint LuciaVisa-free · 42 days
- Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesVisa-free · 90 days
- San MarinoVisa-free · 90 days
- Sao Tome and PrincipeVisa-free · 15 days
- SenegalVisa-free · 90 days
- SerbiaVisa-free · 90 days
- SeychellesVisa-free · 90 days
- Singapore✓Visa-free · 30 daysJapanese nationals do not need to apply for a visa to travel to Singapore for leisure or business; 6-month passport validity required.Official source ↗
- SlovakiaVisa-free · 90 days
- SloveniaVisa-free · 90 days
- South AfricaVisa-free · 90 days
- South Korea✓Visa-free · 90 daysVisa-free entry for up to 90 days; K-ETA exemption for Japan extends through December 31, 2026.Official source ↗
- Spain✓Visa-free · 90 daysNo Schengen visa required for Japanese passport holders; visa-free entry for up to 90 days.Official source ↗
- SwazilandVisa-free · 30 days
- SwedenVisa-free · 90 days
- Switzerland✓Visa-free · 90 daysVisa-free entry for up to 90 days within a 180-day period for Japanese tourists.Official source ↗
- TaiwanVisa-free · 90 days
- TajikistanVisa-free · 30 days
- Thailand✓Visa-free · 30 daysJapanese passport holders can enter Thailand visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism under bilateral visa exemption agreement.Official source ↗
- Trinidad and TobagoVisa-free · 90 days
- TunisiaVisa-free · 90 days
- Turkey✓Visa-free · 90 daysJapanese passport holders are exempt from visa requirements for tourist visits up to 90 days per 180-day period.Official source ↗
- UkraineVisa-free · 90 days
- United Arab Emirates✓Visa-free · 90 daysJapanese nationals with valid passports can enter the UAE visa-free for up to 90 days, effective from August 1, 2024.Official source ↗
- UruguayVisa-free · 90 days
- UzbekistanVisa-free · 30 days
- VanuatuVisa-free · 120 days
- VaticanVisa-free · 90 days
- VenezuelaVisa-free · 90 days
- VietnamVisa-free · 45 days
- ZambiaVisa-free · 90 days
Visa on arrival
Visa issued at the border — typically quick, fee-paid, and no embassy visit required. Still bring passport photos, proof of onward travel, and hotel bookings.
- AzerbaijanVisa on arrival
- BahrainVisa on arrival
- BangladeshVisa on arrival
- BurundiVisa on arrival
- CambodiaVisa on arrival
- Cape VerdeVisa on arrival
- ComorosVisa on arrival
- DjiboutiVisa on arrival
- EgyptVisa on arrival
- EthiopiaVisa on arrival
- GhanaVisa on arrival
- Guinea-BissauVisa on arrival
- IndiaVisa on arrival
- Indonesia✓Visa-free · 30 daysJapan is eligible for 30-day Visitor Visa on Arrival at Indonesian ports of entry.Official source ↗
- IraqVisa on arrival
- Ivory CoastVisa on arrival
- JordanVisa on arrival
- KenyaVisa on arrival
- KuwaitVisa on arrival
- LebanonVisa on arrival
- MadagascarVisa on arrival
- MalawiVisa on arrival
- MaldivesVisa on arrival
- Marshall IslandsVisa on arrival
- MauritaniaVisa on arrival
- NepalVisa on arrival
- New ZealandVisa on arrival
- OmanVisa on arrival
- PakistanVisa on arrival
- PalauVisa on arrival
- Papua New GuineaVisa on arrival
- QatarVisa on arrival
- RwandaVisa on arrival
- SamoaVisa on arrival
- Saudi ArabiaVisa on arrival
- Sierra LeoneVisa on arrival
- Solomon IslandsVisa on arrival
- Sri LankaVisa on arrival
- TanzaniaVisa on arrival
- Timor-LesteVisa on arrival
- TongaVisa on arrival
- TuvaluVisa on arrival
- ZimbabweVisa on arrival
- Australia✓Visa-free · 90 daysJapanese passport holders can apply for an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) to visit Australia for tourism; valid for up to 3 months per entry.Official source ↗
- Canada✓Visa-free · 180 daysJapanese citizens are visa-exempt and require Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada by air; valid up to 5 years, CAD $7, typically approved within minutes.Official source ↗
- United Kingdom✓Visa-free · 180 daysJapanese passport holders require an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) costing £20 for tourist visits up to 6 months.Official source ↗
- United States✓Visa-free · 90 daysJapanese citizens part of US Visa Waiver Program; must obtain ESTA before boarding air/sea carrier.Official source ↗
e-Visa destinations
Apply online before you travel. Usually approved within a few days, cheaper and faster than an embassy visa.
- Benine-Visa
- Bhutane-Visa
- Burkina Fasoe-Visa
- Cameroone-Visa
- Cubae-Visa
- DR Congoe-Visa
- Equatorial Guineae-Visa
- Gabone-Visa
- Guineae-Visa
- Libyae-Visa
- Myanmare-Visa
- Nigeriae-Visa
- Russiae-Visa
- Somaliae-Visa
- South Sudane-Visa
- Syriae-Visa
- Togoe-Visa
- Ugandae-Visa
Visa required — 16 destinations
embassy visa needed · click to expand
These destinations require a full visa from an embassy or consulate in advance. Entries marked ✓ have been re-verified against an official government source.
- AfghanistanVisa required
- AlgeriaVisa required
- Central African RepublicVisa required
- ChadVisa required
- CongoVisa required
- EritreaVisa required
- GambiaVisa required
- LiberiaVisa required
- MaliVisa required
- NauruVisa required
- NigerVisa required
- North KoreaVisa required
- SudanVisa required
- SurinameVisa required
- TurkmenistanVisa required
- YemenVisa required
Frequently asked questions
How many countries can Japanese passport holders visit visa-free?
Japanese passport holders have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to approximately 164 countries — 117 visa-free and 47 visa-on-arrival. Notable visa-free destinations include Albania, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina.
Is the Japanese passport strong?
Yes — the Japanese passport is considered strong, giving access to 164+ destinations without needing to arrange a visa in advance.
Do I need an ETA or e-visa for some countries?
Yes. 18 destinations require an e-visa (online application before arrival) for Japanese passport holders. These are typically quicker than embassy visas but still need to be arranged before travel.
Which countries require a full visa in advance?
16 countries require Japanese passport holders to obtain a visa from an embassy before travelling. Check the destination embassy's website for specific requirements and processing times.
Can a residence permit or second visa unlock extra countries?
Yes — several residence permits grant bonus visa-free access regardless of your Japanese passport. See our guides for UAE residence, US Green Card, and Schengen residence permit to learn which countries unlock for each.
How accurate is this list?
Entries marked with a ✓ badge have been re-verified against an official government source (embassy, ministry, or visa portal) and link to that source. Entries without the badge come from the community-maintained open-source Passport Index Dataset — a reasonable starting point but not individually verified. Rules change frequently. Always confirm with the destination embassy before booking travel.