Japan has consolidated its spot at the top of the Henley Passport Index - a ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access visa-free - by now offering its citizens visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to a record total of 189 destinations.

Following closely behind Japan are Singapore and Germany in joint second place, with 188 destinations accessible without a prior visa. Third place is shared by six countries: one Asian (South Korea) and the rest European (Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and Sweden).

While Schengen Area countries have traditionally topped the index...