Japan and Singapore have retained a firm hold on first place in the latest Henley Passport Index, each with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 190 out of a maximum 227. 

For most of the index’s 14-year history – which is based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) – the top spot has been held by a European country or by the US. 

However, this shifted dramatically in 2018, with Asian countries now firmly established as world leaders when it comes to both global economic activity and global mobility.  

With visa-free/visa-on-arrival scores of 188, Finland, Germany...