Japan’s passport is now the envy of the world, according to new research from a firm that ranks passports according to the number of countries it allows travellers to enter without a visa.

The new list from citizenship and planning firm Henley & Partners shows Japanese citizens can now visit 189 out of a possible 218 countries visa-free, edging out Singapore and Germany, both on 188.

Australia is currently sitting in sixth spot, along with Greece, with a visa-free score of 183.

The latest list shows a marked change from previous years, which saw Germany dominate the ranking.

Henley & Partners’ report noted that recent changes in visa policies had seen Asian countries rise to the top of the global ranking.

“While Schengen Area countries have traditionally topped the index as a result of their open access to Europe, developed Asian nations have been able to secure equally high scores in recent years thanks to their strong international trade and diplomatic relations,” the report said.

Another country that has skyrocketed up the list in 2018 is the United Arab Emirates, which rose 38 places over the past decade.

The report said the UAE was the fastest overall climber.

“The country has secured more new visa-waivers for its citizens in 2018 than any other jurisdiction in the world and is quickly closing in on the lead that Israel, in 19th place, has historically held within the Middle East region,” the report said.

China was also rapidly ascending the list, it added.

Australia has been on the rise, having moved up from a score of 153 on the list yearly last year, to its current score of 183.

One of the reasons for that change is Indonesia recently having changed its visa requirements for Australians, allowing us to visit for up to 30 days without having to fork over $50 for a visa on arrival.

The Henley Passport Index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association.

It found that while not much has changed in Europe and North America, “by contrast, dozens of new immigration and border policies have been legislated by countries in Asia and the former Soviet Union in recent months, as well as in Africa and the Caribbean”.

“Following the general pro-tourism trend emerging in the Middle East, governments in other regions are seeking to boost visitor inflows as a means of stimulating economic growth, strengthening diplomatic ties, and improving travel prospects for their own citizens,” the report said.

On the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan and Iraq were at the bottom of the list, with a visa-free score of just 30.

They fared worse than Somalia and Syria (both on 32), Pakistan (33), Yemen (37) and Eritrea, Palestinian Territories and Sudan (39).

WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL PASSPORTS

According to the 2018 Henley & Partners index

1. Japan (can visit 189 countries visa-free)

2. Germany, Singapore (188)

3. Finland, France, Italy, South Korea, Spain, Sweden (187)

4. Austria, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, United States (186)

5. Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Switzerland (185)

6. Greece, Australia (183)

7. Czech Republic, Malta, New Zealand (182)

8. Iceland (181)

9. Hungary, Slovenia, Malaysia (180)

10. Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia (179)