190.

That is the number of countries which Japanese passport holders can now visit without a visa, according to British citizenship and planning firm Henley & Partners' global ranking, updated on October 9th, 2018. (Based on exclusive data from the IATA, the database is widely considered to be the most reliable information source on international passport status).

Displacing previously top-ranked Singapore at 189 countries, the Japanese passport is now effectively the most powerful in the world. The change occurred earlier this month when Myanmar was added to the list of countries which Japanese passport holders could visit without visas.

Germany, which held the top position with 188 countries at the beginning of the year, now slips to third place.

The Ten "Most Powerful" Passports

As of October 9th, 2018, here are the ten most powerful passports as measured by the number of countries they allow their legal holders to visit without visas:

• 1. Japan: 190
• 2. Singapore: 189
• 3. Germany, France, South Korea: 188
• 4. Denmark, Finland, Italy, Sweden, Spain: 187
• 5. Norway, United Kingdom, Australia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, United States of America: 186
• 6. Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland, Canada: 185
• 7. Australia, Greece, Malta: 183
• 8. New Zealand, Czech Republic: 182
• 9. Iceland: 181
• 10. Hungary, Slovenia, Malaysia: 180

More details on the 2018 ranking and other information pertaining to all passports and the countries which their holders can visit without a visa is available at the Henley Partners' Passport Index website.