Driving in Japan
If you're planning on driving in Japan after your first year living
in Japan, you may only drive with a Japanese Driver's License.
It is not recommended to get a Japanese driver's license from scratch.
It is very expensive and the test is said to be difficult. The best
way is to obtain a Japanese driver's license to have have your home
license switched.
If your International Driver's permit is about to expire and you're
planning to drive in Japan for a second year, it's time to make
the switch from your home country's Driver's License to a Japanese
one. The process is called Gaimen Kirikae (外面 切り替え）.
If you have lived in Japan longer than 1 year, an International
Driver's permit will not be valid even if you didn't have one during
your first year.
To begin, you should be able to meet the two following conditions:
1. Current home country Driver's license must be valid (expired
ones will not be transferred)
2. Proof that you were in your home country for at least 3 months
after your license was issued to you.
Once you have cleared the above conditions, you must have your
home country's license translated into Japanese. The translation
can be obtained at JAF (Japan Automobile Federation), embassies/consular
offices in Japan, or licensing authorities outside Japan.
1. Where to apply? Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) counters across
Japan
2. How to apply? Submit an enlarged (150-200%) photocopy of your
home country's Driver's License at a JAF counter or, send to the
JAF office as registered mail (as you will be sending cash) Genkin
Kakitome through the post office.
3. Required Documents: A photocopy of your home country's Driver's
License, also remember to include your address and telephone number
in Japan.
4. Translation Fee: ￥3,000 per license and ￥270 in stamps should
also be included so that the translation can be mailed back to you.
It does take a couple of days to be completed and to be mailed
back to you.
|
Japan
Automobile Federation - Locate an JAF office near you.
|
1. Where to apply: Driver's Licensing Center
2. Required Documents:
a) Home country Driver's License
b) Passport
c) Alien Registration Card (Gaikokujin Torokushou)
d) One photo (3.0cm x 2.4cm)
e) Japanese Translation of original home country license - obtained
through JAF
f) License Application Forms - obtained at the Driver's Licensing
Center
3. Application fee: ￥5,250
4. Procedure:
a) Application for license substitution - you will need to go
to the driver's licensing center with all of your documents and
fill out application forms. You will do this in a seperate room
that will help you in transfering your foreign license into a
Japanese one.
The official will help you fill out your forms which are not
complicated. He will also ask you questions regarding your home
country's driver's license test. The questions are about the driver's
license test in your home country. After you are done, you must
schedule an exam time at a later date to come back and take the
aptitude test, driver's skill test and pay the application fee.
b) Aptitude Test (including and eye exam) - The written driver's
license test is given in Japanese, Chinese, and English. The test
is 10 multiple choice questions and 7 of them are common sense.
c*) Rules of the Road knowledge check
d*) Driving Skills check (Road Test) is on a course at the Driver's
License Center using one of their cars.
You must take the test in a manual transmission car to drive a
MT car.
*please note that c) and d) do NOT apply to those holding licenses
from the following 21 countries: France, Germany, Switzerland,
Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, UK, Denmark, Ireland,
Greece, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Austria,
Australia New Zealand and Canada.
Licenses in Japan are valid for 3 or 5 years after your birthdate.
Renewals should be completed one month prior to its expiration date.
The period of validity of your driver's license is written on the
driver's license.
When you apply for your renewal, you should take your driver's
license, renewal notice, a photo (3cm x2.4cm) and ￥ 2,950〜￥3,950
for the renewal fee.
If you want to ride a motorcycle in Japan, you will need to get
a Japanese driver's licence. You can ride a motor scooter of 50cc
displacement or less with your Japanese driver's license but you
are required to obtain a valid motorcycle license for each class
of more than 50cc capacity.
The motorcycle test is very cheap (less than 5,000 yen.)
Links
http://japaninfo.esmartweb.com/bikerfaq-signs.html
Renting
a car
http://www.pref.nara.jp/silk/icd/h_english/2_03_e.html
Japanese
Driver's License and Driving Test Tips
