Passport Day

What Is Passport Day?

Every February 20th is "Passport Day" (旅券の日, Ryoken no Hi) in Japan. On February 20, 1878, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an ordinance renaming the travel documents then called "kaigai yukō menjō" (海外行免状, "permission for overseas travel") as "ryoken" (旅券, literally "travel document") — the Japanese term for passport that remains in use today. The formalization of Japan's passport system as the recognized travel document for Japanese citizens abroad was part of the Meiji government's effort to standardize Japan's international travel documentation in line with Western practice.

Japan's Passport History

Japan's earliest travel documents for overseas travel were issued from the late Edo period, when Japan's sakoku (closed country) policy began to be relaxed and a small number of Japanese were permitted to travel abroad for specific purposes. The Meiji government's 1866 issuance of the first modern Japanese travel documents preceded the 1878 renaming as "ryoken" — the term that distinguished the document as an internationally recognized travel passport rather than merely a domestic permission slip.

Japan's Passport Today

Japan's current passport — the "ryoken" (旅券) issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — is consistently ranked among the world's most powerful travel documents. In recent years, Japan's passport has ranked first or second globally in "passport index" rankings that measure visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to other countries — typically providing Japanese citizens access to 190+ destinations without prior visa application. This extraordinary global mobility reflects Japan's broad diplomatic relationships and reputation as a country whose citizens travel responsibly.

Japanese Citizens and International Travel

Japanese citizens have become significant international travelers — approximately 17 million traveled abroad annually in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic. The destinations most frequently visited by Japanese travelers include Hawaii, the United States mainland, East Asian neighbors (South Korea, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong), and European cities. Japan's passport strength facilitates this travel by removing visa requirements for most destinations.

Fun Facts

• Passport ranking: Japan's passport has held the top or near-top position in global passport power rankings for several consecutive years, offering Japanese citizens visa-free access to approximately 193 countries and territories — a reflection of Japan's extensive network of bilateral visa waiver agreements.
• E-passport: Japan introduced biometric e-passports (containing an embedded chip with the holder's facial image and personal data) in 2006, among the first countries to implement the international standard. The technology enables automated border control (顔認証ゲート, face recognition gates) at Japanese airports that significantly speeds entry processing.