Driving in Japan

Japan has an amazing efficient and convenient public transportation system. Therefore, if you live in a large metropolitan area, you probably do not need a car. However, if you live in a more rural area, public transportation can be inconvenient and you may need to purchase a car.

Rules of the Road

In Japan, unlike the US, cars drive on the left side of the road. Please be careful to follow this rule, as the habits of a lifetime can be very hard to break. The stearing wheel is also flipped to the other side of the car. Therefore, just remember that you should be sitting on the inside of the lane not the ditch side.

You CANNOT drink and drive. If you have even a sip of alcohol do not drive. There is zero tolerance for drinking and driving. You will be arrested and maybe even deported if you are convicted of drinking and driving. This goes for mopeds as well as cars. You cannot even ride a bicycle if you have been drinking. If someone you drink with drives, you can be held responsible.

To get an official Rules of the Road book in English contact the Japanese Automobile Federation at http://www.jaf.or.jp/e/index_e.htm.

Road signs

Please visit our road signs page to view Japanese road signs and their meaning in English

International Drivers Permit

You can drive up to one year with an international drivers permit from the US. You can get this permit at any AAA office in the States. You must carry both your international drivers license and your state license while driving.

Japanese Drivers License

After you have been in Japan for one year, you must get a Japanese drivers license. In order to get a drivers license, you must pass both a written exam and a practical driving exam. JETs from Britain, Canada, and Australia do not have to take the driving exam. The reason for this has to do with how people from the States are issued their licenses. We are issued licenses from our individual home states. Each states has different rules, different laws, and different criteria for the testing of drivers. The British, Canadians, and Australians are issued licenses from their country where there is only one set of laws. Japan has made an arrangement with the individual country. However, they are unable to make an arrangement with each individual state in the US.

In order to apply for a Japanese Drivers License you need to hold a license from the US for at least 3 months. Before you go to the testing center, you must get an official translation for your license. This can be obtained from the Japanese Automobile Federation (JAF).

	Translating your American Driver's License
	National list of JAF locations

Once you arrive at the testing center, you will need to take a written exam (available in English), an eye exam, and the practical driving test. The written test is a series of 10 simple questions. For some example questions please visit The Japan Drivers License website. The practical driving test is very difficult and most people will have to take it a few times to pass.

For tips on passing the Japanese practical driving test please visit our Tips and Hints page.

Buying a Car

New cars, especially Kei-cars (cars with smaller engines), can be bought for under one million yen ($10,000 US) in Japan. However, most JETs buy used cars. In April and July when ALTs and CIRs move back home they often sell the cars for bargain prices (I bought my car for 50,000 yen).

While you might be able to buy your car for a bargain price, you need to be aware there are many secondary costs to owning a car. One of these biggest expenses is shaken, or the compulsory inspection. A mechanic must inspect your car every two or three years. The cost for this inspection can range up to 100,000 yen (about $1,000 USD). You also have to pay various taxes and pay for your mandatory insurance when you have your car inspected.

Insurance

There are two types of insurance in Japan: mandatory insurance, which is payed for at the time of your inspection, and optional insurance. If you are in an accident, the mandatory insurance does not cover personal injury and may not be enough to cover the cost of an accident. For this reason it is recommended that you buy optional insurance as well.  Japaninsurance.net, underwritten by the AIU Insurance Company, offers bilingual information on optional auto insurance, but may be a bit pricier than other plans because of this service.