Which Asian country has the world's best passport and why?

Singapore doesn’t just have the best passport in Asia. By some metrics, it has the best passport in the world. What does that really mean though?

Singaporeans can travel to 193 countries without a visa. Chinese passport holders, in contrast, can travel to just over 80 countries visa-free. In fact, the top three countries with the strongest passport are all in Asia: Singapore, Japan, and South Korea.

How did these countries rise to the top, and remain there for almost two decades? What are the material benefits - and trappings - for the passport holders? And what does a strong passport say about how the country practices diplomacy?

In this Asia Specific podcast, host Mariko Oi, who holds a Japanese passport, chats to BBC senior journalist Derek Cai, a Singaporean, and BBC Indonesia’s Famega Syavira, whose passport ranks 68th on the list.

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Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube here: https://bit.ly/4iJyeVt

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