Japan entry requirements, by passport
Japan visa requirements at a glance: 48 of the 81 passports VisaRadar tracks can enter Japan without arranging a visa beforehand — visa-free, with a visa on arrival, or with an electronic travel authorization. The other 33 must obtain a visa before they travel.
Which passport do you hold?
We'll take you straight to the entry requirements for Japan for your nationality.
What we've verified for Japan
Beyond the yes/no matrix, we've checked these against an official primary source (last checked 2026-08-10). The specifics depend on your nationality — open your passport's row in the table for the detail that applies to you.
- Required documents (5)
- Required vaccinations
- Health-insurance rules
- Customs limits (cash, alcohol, tobacco)
- Overstay penalties
- Airport transit rules
Sources: mofa.go.jp (JAPAN eVISA); visasnews.com and en.japantravel.com on JESTA's legal status; customs.go.jp and Japanese consulates (Denver, Los Angeles) on customs limits; passporthealthusa.com and the CDC Yellow Book on vaccinations (checked 10 August 2026, no JESTA portal operational).
This table summarizes the exact entry mechanism for every passport we track — the difference between entering visa-free, with an electronic authorization, with an e-Visa, or with a traditional visa is explained in visa, e-Visa, and electronic authorization: what's the difference. How we verify every row before publishing it is on methodology.
Base entry rules refreshed 2026-09-17. Published: 2026-08-10.
| Passport | Requirement | Max. stay |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-free | ||
| Argentina | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Australia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Austria | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Belgium | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Brazil | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Bulgaria | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Canada | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Chile | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Costa Rica | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Croatia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Czech Republic | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Denmark | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Dominican Republic | Visa-free | 90 days |
| El Salvador | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Finland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| France | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Germany | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Greece | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Guatemala | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Honduras | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Hungary | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Iceland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Indonesia | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Ireland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Israel | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Italy | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Malaysia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Malta | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Mexico | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Netherlands | Visa-free | 90 days |
| New Zealand | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Norway | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Panama | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Poland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Portugal | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Romania | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Singapore | Visa-free | 90 days |
| South Korea | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Spain | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Sweden | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Switzerland | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Thailand | Visa-free | 15 days |
| Tunisia | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Turkey | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United Arab Emirates | Visa-free | 30 days |
| United Kingdom | Visa-free | 90 days |
| United States | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Uruguay | Visa-free | 90 days |
| Visa required | ||
| Algeria | Visa required | — |
| Bangladesh | Visa required | — |
| Bolivia | Visa required | — |
| Cape Verde | Visa required | — |
| China | e-Visa | — |
| Colombia | Visa required | — |
| Cuba | Visa required | — |
| Ecuador | Visa required | — |
| Egypt | Visa required | — |
| Equatorial Guinea | Visa required | — |
| Gambia | Visa required | — |
| Georgia | Visa required | — |
| Ghana | Visa required | — |
| India | e-Visa | — |
| Jordan | Visa required | — |
| Kenya | Visa required | — |
| Mali | Visa required | — |
| Moldova | Visa required | — |
| Morocco | Visa required | — |
| Nicaragua | Visa required | — |
| Nigeria | Visa required | — |
| Pakistan | Visa required | — |
| Paraguay | Visa required | — |
| Peru | Visa required | — |
| Philippines | Visa required | — |
| Russia | Visa required | — |
| Saudi Arabia | e-Visa | — |
| Senegal | Visa required | — |
| South Africa | e-Visa | — |
| Sri Lanka | Visa required | — |
| Ukraine | Visa required | — |
| Venezuela | Visa required | — |
| Vietnam | e-Visa | — |
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Do you need a different visa for Tokyo, Osaka, or Kyoto?
No. Japan sets the requirements, so entering through Tokyo asks for the same as entering through Osaka or Kyoto. If you're arriving overland or through a small border post, check that separately: some countries apply their own rules to specific crossings.
What does change is where you file the application when a visa is needed, and that depends on the country you live in rather than the city you're travelling to.
What draws travelers to Japan
For travelers, Japan is organized around the so-called "golden route" between Tokyo and Kyoto, linked in just over two hours by bullet train. Tokyo is the contemporary metropolis, with day trips to Hakone (views of Mount Fuji) and Nikkō. The Kansai region — Kyoto, Nara, Osaka — is the historic heart: Kyoto alone has 17 temples, shrines and castles inscribed as a single UNESCO World Heritage site, and its autumn foliage is famous. Further afield, Hiroshima and its Atomic Bomb Dome, the Japanese Alps (Takayama, Kanazawa and the steep-roofed farmhouses of Shirakawa-gō), Hokkaidō in the north for nature and snow, and subtropical Okinawa in the south work as add-ons depending on how much time you have. Two weeks allow Tokyo, Kansai and one more area. The two most sought-after seasons — the cherry blossom in late March and early April, and the autumn colours in November — are also the most expensive and crowded; the June rains and winter are far quieter.
Sources for this section: japan.travel (Japan National Tourism Organization, JNTO); UNESCO World Heritage List (whc.unesco.org, "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto"); UK FCDO travel advice for Japan. Accessed 31 August 2026.
Things to see and do in Japan
Tours, skip-the-line tickets and day trips, most with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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Where can Japan passport holders travel visa-free? →
Informational only. Always verify requirements with the official embassy or consulate before you travel.