I just got my international drivers permit for Japan just incase I end up getting a job somewhere down the line with a company that requires one. Which got me thinking. Since the international drivers license only lasts a year and after that unless I left the country for 3 months I need to get an actual Japanese one, how hard is the test?

I heard the license test is insanely hard for even Japanese. So I am guessing I would need to first be completely fluent before being able to pass the test? Or could I just learn enough Japanese for the terms used on the test?

On a related note, my international drivers permit only applies to cars. Does that mean there is no way I could drive some small vespa like motorbike?

You won't be able to drive a scooter like a vespa with that international driver's permit. However, you only need to take a written test to get a scooter license, but apparently it's a hard written test. Also, I'm not sure of the scooter test is available in English.

You don't even need to speak passable Japanese to pass the test. The written test is available in English. As for the driving test, in most prefectures you memorize the entire test, so you don't have to understand any of the commands. The only advantage Japanese gives you is the ability to make a good impression on your proctor.

The driving test is very hard, and well over 50% (who have had their license for years in their own country) fail it on their first time. Most people take the test about three times (this is based on an inaccurate statistic from a popular website for passing the test). I passed on my third try, after having had my license for 5 years in America. On the day I passed I met a guy who was taking it for his eighth time, and he failed again that day. He was in his thirties and had his license for more than ten years. I was the only one who passed that day (out of the 7 or 8 people taking the conversion test with me).

The test is hard because it has virtually nothing to do with driving on a real road, and you can fail for almost anything (i.e., a very common reason for failure is not making left turns quite sharp enough, even though throughout the test you made turns way sharper than anyone does on real roads). As has been said around the internet, the test is NOT about driving, but rather about your ability to memorize a closed course while following very specific rules.

Most Japanese people go to a driving school and take a final at the school, rather than taking a test at the test center. Apparently the test is hard enough that it's worth it to pay the 3000 or so dollars. Luckily, you take an easier version of the test, but it's still hard as shit.

Driving is also way more expensive then in America, and if you get an older car you'll be spending more than $1000 dollars ever two years on your inspection. If possible, avoiding having to deal with all the bullshit and just don't have a car. Public transportation kicks ass in Japan, use it.

Go with someone else taking the test that day. They'll be hard pressed to fail one if the other passes. Although, if you both fail, then I suppose the advantage would be moot.

Commands are pretty simple: things like, "right", "left", etc. I'm not sure memorizing the course is worth it. Just look it over, consider problem spots (for example, the place you have to honk before turning, and/or any fake railroad crossings, street lights, etc.) and go over it once or twice in your head before you get in the car.

It's different anywhere you take it, I imagine, but I passed on my first try. Do turn signals very very early (as soon as you know you'll be making a turn, turn it on; they would have probably failed me for this had I not been with a friend, because I got a pass and they warned me to turn my signals on earlier), drive slowly, make sure to look around and utilize your mirrors as though you're driving around in a field full of anti-tank mines. Make your movements verbose, so that it's clear that you're looking everywhere. Look with your neck, in short.

Don't let all those stories of "Oh man, it's nearly impossible," make you nervous, because nerves are what will ultimately be your downfall. Drive the course relaxed, and careful to a fault. Look everywhere all the time. Honk when appropriate. Turn on your turn signals right away (it's never too early to do so) and leave them on until you turn. Do the crank and its fellow turns carefully, so as not to hit any cones or go off the course. Put on the parking brake when you stop. Feel free to slow down or nearly stop to look around at turns and intersections and/or feign the careful driver act. Be polite.

I highly recommend paying $280 for 5 hours of driving lessons.

The lessons are on the same kind of course you will take the test on.

It depends on what prefecture you'll be in as to how picky they are about things.

Re the scooter test: Some prefectures do offer it in English. Others don't. But you have to take the test in the prefecture that's listed as your address on your gaijin card. So you may be SOL. However, if you have a regular Japanese license for cars you can also drive scooters up to a certain size (I forget exactly what that is off the top of my head).

I'm assuming you'll do the kirikae process for getting a normal license. I went through it last year and had my first interview at the end of February... and after three interviews and one try at the driving test I finally got my license in June (well after my IDP had expired... ugh!)

The first step is an interview about how you got your license, your driving school (if you went to one), etc. etc. They'll also go through your passport and ask you where you've been and for how long (this is to determine if you've held your license long enough to do the conversion). I think my initial interview lasted about 2 hours. Some prefectures might be able to do the interview in English, but mine didn't. I did most of the talking, but took a Japanese friend along, mostly to put the interviewing officer at ease.

Once you get through the interview stage its onto the written test and the practical test. Written test is super easy... 10 true or false questions... mostly common sense stuff. And it's available in English.

The practical exam is a pain.... and like Tzadeck said, it has nothing to do with driving in the "real world", but how well you can execute things on a closed course. And they're really picky about that execution. Things vary from prefecture to prefecture.... but in Yamanashi there are three different courses. You're expected to memorize all three. Before the test, they ask one of the examinees to draw the course that will be used that day. The examiner just sits in the car and marks your score... they don't give any instructions to you about the course.

I managed to pass on my first try, but I paid 6500 yen for an hour of lessons on the course beforehand. The instructor took me through all three of the courses and showed me all the mirror checks, when/how they want you to switch lanes, where to align my car while turning, and the certain points where you're supposed to accelerate to a certain speed. Most people I know have had to take the test 2 or 3 times (if not more).

The reason it took me so long to get my license is because I had to go in for three separate interviews... each with different documentation from the Department of Transportation in my home state. They only give driving tests to 10% of license applicants where I'm from... so if you've had driver's ed and your birthday isn't one of the days that's been drawn to drive, you don't have to take the driving test when you first get your license.
The officer that did my interview was absolutely taken aback by this during my interview. You would've thought that I'd told him I was from Mars or something.... haha. I've had other friends have trouble with having to get immigration records and things from their home countries to go through the process. They even made a huge deal over one girls' license because it had her middle initial listed on it instead of her full middle name.

So moral of the story: they're really anal about the process, and be prepared for a really bureaucratic process (one of many you'll have here ) But worth the trouble if you live in (or travel to) an area where the public transportation leaves much to be desired.

I found this link rather helpful when I was getting ready to go through the process: http://www.supermelf.com/japan/ajetdrivi.../index.htm
And talk to other people who have taken the test in your prefecture, as they'll be the best source for finding out how particular your testing center is.

Yeah, I totally forgot about the interview.

I had one interview before the tests. I got a copy of my driver's school certification from Texas beforehand, and went in by myself (without a translator) hoping that it wouldn't be too grueling. The Japanese wasn't a problem but oh man did they ask me all sorts of ridiculous questions. We went in circles concerning addresses and locations. Where was my driving school? How long did I study there? Is the amount on the receipt correct, or were there secondary payments or costs? Once I finished, where did I take my license tests at? Did I get my license in person or through the mail? How long after the class did I get my license? How long had I been driving in the states? What was the address of the location of the DMV where I got my license? What do you mean there are multiple DMVs in your city? What address is this on your license? When did you renew your license? How many times have you renewed it? How long did you hold it in between renewals, Etc. etc. etc.

There were several points where it was clear that my interviewer was attempting to try and trip me and/or trying to get me to double-back and modify my story. Really odd and backwards. One of the few times in my life where I felt like I was literally being interrogated.

And don't forget that you have to get an official translation of your license by the Japanese Road Association or something before you can even apply for the interview, which costs something like 3000 yen and time.

If you have a family, you will appreciate the freedom it gives you to go anywhere without having to rely on public transport and the energy of your family members, just like in any other country. Of course if you prefer to sit in the passenger seat and let your partner (or other license holding friend/relative) do the driving, no problem. Personally I like to be in charge of where I go and how I get there, so yes I like driving myself, even with the scary moments. I'm a weekend driver, as I use public transport to get to my workplace.

Consider taking the test in another country. Coming from Belgium, I only needed to fill in the application and then go and listen to a one hour course on safe driving and that was it, I think. Then every time you renew/upgrade the license, there's another one hour session.

From the Japan Driver's License FAQ:

Who is required to take the driving test?

A. The requirement to take the written and driving test is based on the country in which the license was issued, not on an individual’s nationality. Individuals holding licenses issued in the following countries are not required to take either a written test or a road test: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Taiwan and South Korea.

I'm from Australia and although they didn't require me to take a test I had to go through quite a lot of bother to get my license in the end. Getting the right documentation and then getting it translated and approved by the police was a huge pain. I then spent a total of three hours at the license centre, half of which was spent being asked about every possible detail of my driving experience and the driving test I sat in Australia nearly ten years ago. So I would recommend bringing a friend, if you don't have a strong command of Japanese.

Sounds crazy but it's good to know that if you're from a country that drives on the left you don't have to do this ridiculous sounding test.

To get your licence here theres a written test to get your learners licence and then after you've had that 6months you can sit the practical test to get your restricted licence. That test is so easy I swear it takes 10 mins and all I had to do was drive in a straight line, back round a corner, go through some roundabouts and pull into a driveway. Done.

Why are they so anal about all this stuff on a closed circuit? Is it cos they think anyone who drives on the right is wayyy to dangerous on a real road that drives on a left?

This thread made my day. I thought I had to take a test (Canadian) because we drive on the right, but turns out I was wrong. I don't want to drive in Japan, as the transit system is amazing and cars are a money sink, but it's nice to have. I could also use it as ID instead of my gaijin card (obviously excluding police and immigration officers).

From what I can understand you can drive a 50cc scooter with a Japanese drivers license. That might be fun.

The following does NOT apply to carriers of US driver's license, though.

If your obtained a car driver's license from certain countries and can prove that you lived there for at least three months after you obtained the said license, you can "convert" your foreign license into a Japanese one. It is a little of a hassle in term of time, but no real exam needed. Note: translation into Japanese by JAF is still needed.

From http://www.japandriverslicense.com/information.asp# (Test Required or Non Required ?)

Test Non-Required
Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Korea Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, The Netherlands, United Kingdom.

Until this April, I was working for a company that also assisted clients in the process (for a fee). I accompanied many clients from the above mentioned list and they could use that much easier (and cheaper) route.

Even in Tokyo, being accompanied by a Japanese speaking person was strongly suggested. I believe that it might even be "required" in other areas.

Oh, and they were pretty strict about the 3 months requirement. Accepted proof: original University degree from the issuing country or dates on the passport (old passport OK).

Tzadeck Wrote:you can fail for almost anything (i.e., a very common reason for failure is not making left turns quite sharp enough, even though throughout the test you made turns way sharper than anyone does on real roads).

The thing is to know exactly what they are looking for.

It's almost surely not the lack of "sharpness" of the left turn that fails you, it's probably not first ostentatiously checking the left-side mirror for mopeds (don't let them guess if you checked the mirror, make it so obvious they can't miss it) *and then* getting so far left on the road *before* you start the turn that your wheels are nearly in the gutter. The reason for this procedure is to deny any space on the left side of your vehicle for passing mopeds or bicycles. Once you've done that, you do eventually make a fairly sharp turn, because being that far left approaching the turn, you have to take wheelbase differential into consideration, which means not starting the turn too early and running the rear wheel up against the curb.

You can actually make a lot of mistakes on the road test and still pass. The cutoff is 70, and most minor infractions are -5. Still, there are automatic failures, like getting caught mid-intersection (not waiting until there's enough space on the other side before entering -- there are no excuses, and you will fail), not making a full stop (means FULL, dead stop) behind the line, or at a RR crossing.

And my personal favorite: You stop at the RR crossing and don't lower your window a tad to listen for the possible approach of a train. Sorry, buddy, you're done for the day. ^_^

Every single time you move left or right, even if it's not a complete lane change but only about 10 inches, you'll get dinged -5 if you don't signal first.

I paid, so it was very smooth. I passed the English version of the test (tough, because translations sometimes approach deliberately vague), and I got 95 on the road test (I moved about 10 inches right to give a cyclist plenty of room -- more than 1 meter clear -- and the proctor said I didn't signal it).

Japan could probably wipe out its public debt in, oh, a month or so, simply by posting traffic cops at every fairly busy RR crossing. I'd say 80 to 90 percent or more of drivers go through with less than convincing rolling stops. It's probably really in the high 90s. Many don't even brake, and some actually accelerate. Commercial vehicles do a pretty good job at faking it, but even most of them don't stop. The revenue these folks are missing is enormous. ^_^

mezbup Wrote:Sounds crazy but it's good to know that if you're from a country that drives on the left you don't have to do this ridiculous sounding test.

What a strange inference. The list has a mix of right- and left-driving countries. As for left-driving, India and South-Africa are not on it, just to name a few. A closer cut may be "Any developed country except the US", but what constitutes developed and what not is open for debate. Bottom line, there needs to be an agreement between Japan and your country, anything else is speculation.

Getting a drivers license in Japan is a real pain in the neck. I have heard a lot of people say they are extra tough on foreigners as well. I don't have any hard evidence of this, but I believe it to be accurate. I knew a lot of people who were perfectly good drivers who had driven for years in their own countries but failed the test several times.

Fortunately I had a license from a country with reciprocal recognition, so I didn't need to take any tests. Getting all the paper work together and getting interrogated took quite a bit of time though. Also if you are not totally fluent in Japanese better get someone to go with you who is. I had all the documentation and tried to do the process with rudimentary japanese. They just told me to F*** off.

Whether your foreign license exempts you from the test comes down to the countries having an agreement. The main reason US licenses aren't recognized is because they don't recognize Japanese drivers licenses. The problem is quite tricky because as I understand it, the licensing process is done at the state level.

Also it is extremely important to note that an "international driving permit" or similar is intended for use by tourists. If you are resident in Japan with a valid work visa and an alien registration card you may not be able to drive on an international permit.

http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-drive.html

shneen Wrote:So moral of the story: they're really anal about the process, and be prepared for a really bureaucratic process (one of many you'll have here ) But worth the trouble if you live in (or travel to) an area where the public transportation leaves much to be desired.

This part made my day. I can't begin to explain the hassles of getting the optional car insurance and switching the owner's name to mine on the car's shaken form

The reason the US isn't exempted from the test has nothing to do with what side of the road we drive on and more to do with the fact that regulations for driving/insurance are determined by the individual states and not centralized like many other countries. As such, the Japanese government asks for a bunch of safety statistics from each state. And since the majority of people that transfer a US license over are actually returning Japanese citizens, it might not be worth the trouble.

You can read all about it here: http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-drive.html

MeNoSavvy Wrote:Also it is extremely important to note that an "international driving permit" or similar is intended for use by tourists. If you are resident in Japan with a valid work visa and an alien registration card you may not be able to drive on an international permit.

http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-drive.html

Sorry to bring this thread up from the dead but it seems they don't really care about how long you've been here. I just got my IDL today and I've been here 6 years already.