Accidents by Foreign Drivers Spur License Conversion Review; Tourists from Some Nations May Be Unable to Drive in Japan

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Basic traffic rules in Japan are presented in multiple languages in Traffic Safety Textbook, a book produced by the Saitama prefectural police.
A series of reckless accidents caused by foreign drivers has prompted the National Police Agency to speed up its review of the requirements for converting foreign driver's licenses to Japanese ones.
With an increasing number of foreign nationals driving for work or tourism, there is a growing need to inform them more effectively about traffic rules and ensure stricter adherence.
Manabu Sakai, chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, on May 26 spoke on a plan to expedite changes to the foreign license conversion system, saying, 'Stronger measures are necessary to ensure that [foreign drivers] fully understand traffic rules.'
High-profile accidents involving foreign drivers who obtained their licenses through the conversion system gained prominence last month.
There was a hit-and-run incident involving elementary school students on May 14 in Misato, Saitama Prefecture. A Chinese national working as a demolition worker was arrested on May 19 on suspicion of having consumed alcohol shortly before the accident.
Police also arrested an unemployed Peruvian national suspected of causing a multicar accident after they allegedly drove more than 14 kilometers in the wrong direction on the Shin-Meishin Expressway in Kameyama, Mie Prefecture, on May 18.
The foreign license conversion system, introduced in 1933, was initially designed to help Japanese nationals smoothly obtain Japanese driver's licenses upon returning from abroad. However, since 1990, the number of foreign nationals using the system has surpassed that of Japanese nationals.
Last year, foreign nationals accounted for 94% of all foreign license conversions, totaling 69,283 individuals. By country of origin, those from Vietnam led the way with 16,810 license conversions, followed by those from China with 15,458 — about a 40% increase from the previous year.
This increase is believed to be due in part to the topic of 'Japan's driver's licenses are easy to obtain' gaining traction on social media.
There are three main ways for foreign nationals to drive in Japan: first, by using an International Driving Permit issued by a signatory country to the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic; second, by driving with a foreign driver's license from one of six designated countries and regions, including Germany and Taiwan, along with an official Japanese translation of that license; and third, by converting an existing foreign driver's license to a Japanese one.
The foreign license conversion process is generally a two-stage examination, consisting of a written knowledge test and a practical skills test. In 2023, the combined pass rate was 91%.
The written exam for converting a foreign driver's license has been criticized for being 'too easy' compared to the standard Japanese driver's license test. Additionally, foreign tourists with passports have been permitted to obtain licenses using hotel stay certificates as a proof of address.
Traffic accidents caused by foreign nationals has risen noticeably, with 7,286 incidents recorded last year — 342 more the previous year — including 54 fatalities. The share of such accidents has also consistently climbed, reaching 2.7% of all reported accidents last year.
This trend has fueled growing concerns regarding the foreign license conversion system within the Diet since the start of this year.
In a push for reforming the system, the NPA is set to restrict permissible address verification documents to copies of residence certificates and will bar foreign tourists from utilizing the foreign license conversion system.
This measure will effectively prevent tourists from countries like China and Vietnam, which are not signatories to the Geneva Convention, from driving in Japan.
For foreign residents in Japan, the NPA plans to increase the number of knowledge-based questions during the license conversion process and strengthen the practical test. It also intends to reinforce traffic safety education for drivers after they obtain their licenses, according to the NPA.
Amid ongoing labor shortages, foreign drivers are a valuable resource in the nation. Last year, the government added the automobile transportation business as a new status of residence under the Specified Skilled Worker program.
Given that a Japanese driver's license is required to qualify for this status, the number of foreign nationals utilizing the foreign license conversion system is expected to increase further.
More effort needed to inform foreign drivers about traffic rules
Traffic accidents involving foreign drivers are on the increase in Japan, and the issue is coming under the spotlight. Nevertheless, there are few places where foreign drivers can learn Japanese traffic rules in foreign languages. Moreover, the country has failed to install enough foreigner-friendly traffic signs and to thoroughly inform the drivers about proper Japanese driving etiquette. Measures need to be taken urgently across the country.
According to the Japan Federation of Authorized Drivers School Associations in Tokyo, driving lessons in foreign languages were available at only 121 institutions, less than 10% of its 1,261 member schools, as of 2020.
'If instructors and students cannot understand each other, it could lead to dangerous situations during the lessons,' said an official of a driving school that refuses anyone who cannot speak Japanese.
On the other hand, some schools offer lessons in foreign languages. Smart Driver School Shiojiri in Shiojiri, Nagano Prefecture, accepts about 150 foreign students a year, including Brazilians and Peruvians. The school uses a translation app in its lessons. At Tokorozawa Driving School in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, foreign residents from India, Nepal, the Philippines and other countries receive their lessons in English.
In the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in 2021, police across the country took steps to make traffic signs that were easy for foreigners to understand, such as by writing 'Stop' alongside its Japanese equivalent, 'Tomare,' on stop signs. However, in Hokkaido, where many foreign tourists travel around in rent-a-cars, only 7% of stop signs had both the Japanese and English words as of the end of March.
'We will replace them gradually, partly because we have a limited budget, starting from places that many foreigners visit,' said a Hokkaido police officer.
In an effort to promote awareness of traffic rules among foreign residents, the Saitama prefectural police released its Traffic Safety Textbook. The book teaches basic traffic rules, such as those obligating drivers to report traffic accidents to police and banning driving under the influence of alcohol, in nine languages, including Vietnamese, Chinese and Persian.
'The level of consideration toward pedestrians, what constitutes speeding, and right-of-way rules vary from country to country,' said Prof. Kenji Doi, an expert on transportation planning at the University of Osaka. 'In Asian countries, including Japan, informing foreign drivers about traffic rules is not done as much as in European Union countries.'

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The Mainichi

6 hours ago

• The Mainichi

Lone Japanese activist attracts attention from foreigners through videos posted online

TOKYO -- In late May, a 49-year-old man was seen speaking to passersby in front of JR Shinjuku Station in the Japanese capital, with a handmade sign that read "Stop Gaza Genocide." "We have remained silent without raising our voices against war crimes while living in a country where freedom of expression is guaranteed," said Yusuke Furusawa, a Tokyo resident. "Perhaps you think it's simply because you're not interested or because it doesn't concern you," he continued. His husky voice faded into the evening crowd. He began his solo street activities in October 2023. After contracting COVID-19 and returning to work, he experienced three months of poor health. When browsing social media on his smartphone, he was constantly bombarded with videos depicting the devastation in the Palestinian territory of Gaza that has been attacked by the Israeli military. He couldn't sit idly by. Since then, come rain or wind, he has been demonstrating daily in front of stations like Shinjuku and Shibuya. Furusawa works as a day laborer creating sets for television programs. He dedicates about an hour to his activities after work on weekdays and whenever possible on weekends. "My voice has become hoarse. But since I work in set construction, it doesn't affect my job," he said. The turning point in his solitary struggle was video. He started recording videos on his smartphone for "security" after facing violence from foreigners believed to be Israeli and being harassed by drunk people during his activities. When he posted snippets on social media, he received reactions from around the world. Over the past year and a half, his Instagram followers have increased by 170,000. Being interviewed by a television station in the Middle East also accelerated the spread of his activities. In reality, most people who approach Furusawa on the street are foreigners. It's not uncommon for them to say, "I learned about you on social media and came to meet you." Almost every day, he receives direct messages from foreigners staying in Japan saying things like, "Where are you today?" He communicates with these foreigners using simple English and body language. His keffiyeh, a traditional Arab scarf he wears around his neck during his activities, and the bag adorned with the Palestinian flag are gifts from people he connected with on social media. Furusawa discovered his passion for theater while attending a private university in Kanagawa Prefecture. He graduated during the early "employment ice age," and chose to continue pursuing his love of theater while working part-time. His acting activities continue to this day. Observing him standing in front of the station for a while, a pair of young women engrossed in their smartphones cast harsh glances at Furusawa, who didn't stop speaking. A man in a suit on the phone hurriedly covered one ear and rushed past, clicking his tongue. A foreigner with tears in her eyes approached him, and they exchanged words for about a minute. The woman, who told Furusawa that she also thought the current situation was wrong, was Israeli. He conveyed his thoughts to her, saying, "I am complaining to the government. This is not a criticism of you." Through his activities, he has experienced both solidarity and conflict. "I believe human connections are also a part of politics," he commented. When he uploads videos to social media, complaints fly in. "This is pointless," "Go there yourself," "It's annoying,"... He's even been told directly, "You're noisy." "I'm aware it's noisy. If possible, I want to forcefully intrude into your silence and field of vision. I don't think it will have an effect, nor do I believe I can change anything alone, nor do I intend to change the awareness of passersby," Furusawa said. So why does he stand on the street every day? He commented, "I live with fundamental human rights guaranteed by the Constitution. If there are people whose rights are being violated, I believe I must raise my voice, even if it's in another country. Whether it has meaning or not is irrelevant; it's just the right thing to do, isn't it?"

Japan Today

9 hours ago

• Japan Today

Tokio pop group member removed from TV show over past conduct

A member of Japanese all-male pop group Tokio has been removed from a popular TV program due to past conduct that breached compliance rules on multiple occasions, a TV network said Friday. Taichi Kokubun, 50, was removed from "The Tetsuwan Dash," a variety program aired by Nippon Television Network Corp. and fronted by the members of Tokio. Neither Kokubun, his company nor the TV network has elaborated on what the breaches entailed, but according to a source close to the matter, they involved behavior that could be considered sexual harassment. The decision to remove Kokubun was approved at an extraordinary board meeting, based on findings from a third-party probe headed by lawyers. Kokubun has accepted the decision, the network said. In remarks to reporters, Hiroyuki Fukuda, the network's president, declined to elaborate further on the cases, citing a need to "protect privacy." He said it was not a criminal matter. According to Fukuda, the probe was established after the misconduct came to light in late May. "The Tetsuwan Dash" will continue broadcasting, the network said. Following the announcement, Kokubun said he is indefinitely suspending his activities in a release on the Tokio company website. In a statement of apology, he said that "my lack of awareness for the situation I am in, my naivety, my arrogance and my inappropriate behavior have caused everything." Kokubun debuted with the then five-member Tokio in 1994 and has an extensive career in television and radio. After the Fukushima nuclear crisis in 2011, he helped promote local farming produce by appearing in commercials. His removal from the Nippon Television program comes amid increased scrutiny of Japan's entertainment industry following recent revelations such as a sexual misconduct scandal that emerged at Fuji Television Network Inc. involving popular former TV host Masahiro Nakai. Tokio's former agency Johnny & Associates Inc. also renamed itself and a separate agency was established after hundreds of sexual abuse allegations against its late founder Johnny Kitagawa. © KYODO

Kyodo News

19 hours ago

• Kyodo News

Tokio pop group member removed from TV show over past misconduct

KYODO NEWS - 1 hour ago - 19:21 | All, Japan A member of Japanese all-male pop group Tokio has been removed from a popular TV program due to past conduct that breached compliance rules on multiple occasions, a TV network said Friday. Taichi Kokubun, 50, was removed from "The Tetsuwan Dash," a variety program aired by Nippon Television Network Corp. and fronted by the members of Tokio. Neither Kokubun, his company nor the TV network has elaborated on what the breaches entailed. The decision to remove Kokubun was approved at an extraordinary board meeting, based on findings from a third-party probe headed by lawyers. Kokubun has accepted the decision, the network said. In remarks to reporters, Hiroyuki Fukuda, the network's president, declined to elaborate further on the cases, citing a need to "protect privacy." He said it was not a criminal matter. According to Fukuda, the probe was established after the misconduct came to light in late May. "The Tetsuwan Dash" will continue broadcasting, the network said. Following the announcement, Kokubun said he is indefinitely suspending his activities in a release on the Tokio company website. In a statement of apology, he said that "my lack of awareness for the situation I am in, my naivety, my arrogance and my inappropriate behavior have caused everything." Kokubun debuted with the then five-member Tokio in 1994 and has an extensive career in television and radio. After the Fukushima nuclear crisis in 2011, he helped promote local farming produce by appearing in commercials. His removal from the Nippon Television program comes amid increased scrutiny of Japan's entertainment industry following recent revelations such as a sexual misconduct scandal that emerged at Fuji Television Network Inc. involving popular former TV host Masahiro Nakai. Tokio's former agency Johnny & Associates Inc. also renamed itself and a separate agency was established after hundreds of sexual abuse allegations against its late founder Johnny Kitagawa. Related coverage: Nakai sexually assaulted Fuji TV staff amid harassment culture: panel Ex-Tokio pop group member released after arrest for drunken driving