17% of Japanese people possess passports, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Only about 17% of Japanese citizens hold passports, significantly lower than many Western countries, impacting international competitiveness and travel interest.
The Japanese passport is one of the strongest globally, but only about 17% of the population holds one. Recent government data reveals that while 3.7 million passports were issued in 2024, that’s a drop from 15.2% since 2019. The total valid passports now sit at 20.77 million, which barely scratches 16.8% of the population, far below the 50% in the U.S. and 85% in the U.K.
Factors like the weak yen deter travel, and long pandemic restrictions have killed the desire to explore, particularly in the youth. JATA President Hiroyuki Takahashi warns that this decline threatens Japan's global competitiveness. Only 58,162 Japanese college students are studying abroad, a staggering drop compared to 2018-2019. Takahashi urges the government to step up, even suggesting free passports for first-time young travelers abroad.
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