Japan is a exceptionally-convenient country for public transport. It’s possible to survive your whole life without having a car or a driver’s license. However, if you want to venture out in to the countryside or if you need to drive your kids to their appointments, a car will make your life much easier!

Key Facts about Driving in Japan

  • Drive on the LEFT side of the road (you probably already knew this).
  • The use of seat belts for drivers and passengers is mandatory.
  • It is compulsory to use a child seat for children under elementary school age.
  • The legal blood alcohol limit in Japan is ZERO.
  • Signs for destinations are blue for regular roads and green for highways. To find an on-ramp, just look for the green signs. Take some cash with you, as the highways are quite expensive!
  • For those who travel on the highway a lot, there is an ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) system that, when you install it in your car and use it in conjunction with a special credit card, allows you to pass through a special gate. Using the ETC system also makes you eligible for any discounts available (e.g., the late-night discount).
  • To buy a car in Japan, you must be able to prove that you have a parking space for that car. Exempt from this rule in some towns is the kei-car (or light automobile), which has a yellow license plate.
  • If you are in Japan for a limited time, leasing a car might be a cost-friendly alternative with no large upfront payment. This option also skirts all the hassle of having to register the car, receive car inspections (shaken) every two years (or three years if your car is brand new), find insurance, pay yearly automobile taxes, provide proof of a parking spot, and sell the car when you go home. Plus, the lease company will maintain the car for you — all you need to do is add gas!
  • Japanese drivers are both polite and aggressive. By this I mean that there are so many drivers on the road, it is considered necessary to sometimes be a little pushy to get where you are going. However, when you do cut in front of someone, it is customary to bow your head slightly at them and raise your hand to indicate that this is what you would like to do. Then, having received permission to cut in, flash your hazard lights to say thank you!
  • In a Japanese car park, try to reverse park, except when all the other cars are parked forward for whatever reason. You need to do this because Japanese car parks are much narrower than those in other countries. Sometimes, you will find yourself stuck and unable to back out of a space you’ve parked in. If this may cause a problem for you, it’s better to park in a relatively deserted area to reduce the risk of being parked in.

International Driving Permits

The easiest way to drive in Japan is to obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP) in your home country. This is only possible if your country is on this list. Note that some countries have a different agreement, in which drivers can use their regular license accompanied by an official Japanese translation.
You can use an IDP for up to one year after your arrival in Japan, after which you must apply for a Japanese driver’s license. You may only use an IDP again if you leave Japan for at least three months.

Converting Your License from a Foreign License

Obtaining a Japanese license will allow you to drive the same kind of vehicles as you can in your own home country. You may need to take a written and practical test, depending on the origin of your license. People with licenses issued from the following countries are not required to take a written or road test:

  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Canada
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Luxembourg
  • Monaco
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovenia
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • United Kingdom

Japan also has bilateral agreements with the U.S. states of Colorado, Hawaii, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington.

People whose licenses were issued elsewhere must take both a written and road test, with the exception of Indiana, where license holders just need to take the written exam.

The conversion procedure takes about half a day, if you do not have to take the driving test. You’ll just need to make sure you bring the appropriate paperwork, which consists of:

  • Your driver’s license
  • A translation of the license
  • Proof of prior residence in the country where your license was issued (such as a passport)
  • A photo of yourself
  • Your residency certificate

You can show up at the nearest licensing center without making an appointment. Just hand over your paperwork and expect to sign some documents. You’ll likely need to wait around for several hours, but you will receive your license that day.

If you do need to take the test, it takes a minimum of a day and a half, with the application day and driving test day separated by a few weeks. Since tests are entirely in Japanese, you may need to bring a patient Japanese-speaking friend along!

The conversion process also requires a certain amount of planning and preparation of necessary documents, including an official translation of your license by the Japan Automobile Federation. There are rules as to what kind of paperwork you need to prove a minimum amount of driving time in your home country.

Generally, Japanese driving licenses are valid for three years. With good behavior, though, it is possible to get a “gold” license starting from the second renewal, which will last for five years. Every time you incur a traffic offense (even parking), you will have to attend a safety class to renew your license and you won’t be offered the gold license!

Road Rules

If you have a written test as part of your license conversion process, you’ll need to know the rules of the road. Check out this list of road signs along with their meanings in English. Find other rules in the comprehensive JAF guidebook, which is available in four languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese).

If you are taking the road test as well, be aware that you may fail based on minor technicalities that have little to do with your actual driving ability. In fact, if you fail to prepare, you almost certainly will fail — at least once, if not more times. Even if you are a good driver, there are minor points that may trip you up. Each time you fail the test, you need to make an appointment to take it again. Give yourself lots of time before your international license runs out because driving in Japan without a proper license is a serious crime.

Learning to Drive and Obtaining a License in Japan

More than 90% of Japanese driver’s license holders are graduates of designated driving schools. A driving school (jidohsha gakko) will take you through everything you need to know about motoring in Japan: the rules of the road, first aid, basic car maintenance, highway driving, map navigation, and, of course, driving safely. Instruction is divided into 26 lectures and 30 to 34 driving skills lessons. Lectures are in Japanese only, but an English translation of the textbook may be available.

Many driving schools boast extensive shuttle bus services and child care facilities. The schools administer the driving test themselves — only the written test is administered by a driving test center. The whole package costs around 300,000 yen. Free trial lessons are usually available as well. To find out the availability of English language instruction or textbooks, send an email or have a Japanese friend phone for you.

One option for instruction in English is Koyama Driving School. It has seven centers in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama.

Web site: https://www.koyama.co.jp/english/


Email: [email protected]

Filling Up Your Car with Gas

Something you’ll need to learn almost immediately is how to get gas. Most gas stations are full service, meaning you’ll need to communicate with an attendant. There are also some self-service stations, but, again, you’ll need some Japanese — this time to understand the menu.

Parking Explained

In addition to the standard parking lots, there are some unique parking options in Japan. For instance, elevator parking lots use an elevator to store cars within a tower and later retrieve the vehicles. There are also parking lots with locking plates that raise the car up from the ground. The barrier won’t come back down until you’ve paid for your parking.

In the Event of an Accident

If you are involved in a traffic accident, you should call the police immediately, as well as an ambulance if anyone is injured. As in your home country, you should exchange information with the other driver (name, address, telephone number, license plate number, and insurance details).
Emergency numbers are:

  • Police: 110
  • Ambulance: 119

Always have the phone number of a Japanese friend or colleague on hand or your 24-hour helpline consultant (if you are a client of the H&R Group and subscribe to this service) to help you in the case you have an accident. Even small incidents are distressing in a country where you don’t understand the language — don’t add to your stress by not having the right help.

Car Insurance

When you buy a car (new or used), part of the cost covers mandatory insurance (kyosei hoken ryo). However, since this insurance does not provide full coverage in the case of an accident, you should purchase additional car insurance as well.

Lease Japan offers English language car insurance assistance.

Japanese Automobile Federation (JAF)

JAF membership is a great idea for anyone in Japan with a car. You can call their roadside service any hour of the day if you have a flat tire or flat battery or even if you’ve just locked your keys in the car. There is a registration fee of 2,000 yen and a yearly fee of 4,000 yen

To Lease or to Buy — That is the Question

Depending on how long you will be in Japan and what kind of car you want to drive, it may prove economical to lease. Leasing eliminates the need to sell the car when you go home and takes care of a lot of the fine details, like insurance, registration, and maintenance.

Lease Japan is a car lease company for expats and part of a larger group of companies with over 20 years’ experience with the expat community. No guarantor or deposit is required. Leases are available for any term of six months or longer for virtually any kind of new or used car on the market.

All leases include full insurance (with no excess on claims), free maintenance checks, registration, free roadside assistance, 24-hour English helpline support, and English or Japanese GPS navigation systems. The company can also supply ETC cards without a credit card application.

Lease Japan can also help you purchase or sell a car and help with short-term car rental. Request more information.

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