Only 17.5% of Japanese Citizens Hold Passports

Recent data reveals that only about 17.5% of Japanese citizens hold valid passports, significantly lower than the rates in other advanced economies, such as the nearly 50% in the U.S. and around 60% in South Korea. As of December 2024, there were 21.6 million valid Japanese passports, a slight increase from the previous year but still below pre-pandemic numbers. The weakening yen, inflation, and a preference for domestic travel are contributing to this trend, despite the passport being ranked as the world's second strongest, allowing visa-free access to 190 countries. While international travel is slowly recovering, predictions suggest around 14.1 million Japanese are expected to travel abroad this year, down from 20 million before the pandemic. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also noted a demographic shift, with younger generations showing less interest in overseas travel. This situation occurs alongside a record influx of foreign tourists to Japan, highlighting a contrasting trend in inbound versus outbound travel.