Immigration Japan raises requirements for converting foreign driver’s licences

On 1 October, Japan introduced stricter rules for foreigners seeking to convert their overseas driver's licenses to Japanese ones, with the new regulations taking effect on Wednesday. Applicants must now provide a copy of their residence certificate to confirm their address, which means tourists without permanent accommodation are no longer eligible to apply. The written exam on traffic laws has also been made significantly more demanding, with five times as many questions as before and a higher score needed to pass.

Drivers from countries outside the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic mainly use this conversion system. In 2024, roughly 68,000 people secured Japanese licences this way—more than twice the number recorded in 2015. Vietnamese applicants comprised the largest group, at around 16,000, followed by those from China and South Korea. The old procedure had been criticised as too lax, since even short-term visitors staying in hotels could obtain a licence after sitting only a brief written test.

Under the amended enforcement regulation of the Road Traffic Act that took effect on Wednesday, all applicants, regardless of nationality, are required to submit a copy of their residence certificate. The written test has been made harder to pass. Instead of 10 illustrated multiple-choice questions with two options, it now consists of 50 questions without illustrations, and the required passing rate has been raised from 70% to 90%. The driving skills test has been made more rigorous, adding scenarios such as approaching and driving over zebra crossings and railway tracks, with evaluations conducted as strictly as for first-time license applicants.

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Nationals of six countries and regions, including Taiwan, Switzerland and Germany, where licensing systems are considered equivalent to Japan's, can drive in Japan if they carry a Japanese translation of their home license. Additionally, drivers from countries that are signatories to the Geneva Convention may drive with an international license issued in their home country.

Paywall alert:

The military test for a Japanese license was so easy a six year old could pass it. We had to learn a few of the road signs and show we could drive on the "wrong" side of the road. Maybe as a joke , they put my 102 pound scrawny body in a giant army truck with no power steering. The first turn did me in. They then put me in a regular pickup truck and I passed. The test road was on the base with no traffic so again too easy.

When I got my Japanese driver's license, I failed the practical test once or twice before passing. That was extremely common among the foreigners I knew, to the extent that we made the joke that our application fees were the main source of local government funding. lol
There was one guy who passed on the first try--he went through a local driving school. Connections matter, or at least they did back then at Yamaguchi prefecture.

In all fairness, the written test was so easy to pass it was really nothing more than a formality. It's probably a good thing that it was made more rigorous.

News about switching foreign driver's licenses — what's happening in Japan right now?


"How did such a lax system even exist?"
Traffic accidents caused by foreigners with licenses obtained through the "foreign license conversion" system prompt police to announce stricter rules. Loopholes such as overly simple exams also under scrutiny. (Kantele NEWS)

The so-called "gai-men kirikae" (foreign license conversion) allows holders of overseas driver's licenses to exchange them for Japanese ones. Amid a string of hit-and-run cases and other traffic accidents involving foreign drivers, Japan's National Police Agency (NPA) has announced it is considering tightening the system.

NPA Commissioner Yoshinobu Kusunoki said on May 22:

"There have been cases of traffic accidents caused by foreigners who obtained a license through the foreign license conversion system."

He expressed a strong sense of urgency over the current situation.

A rise in accidents involving foreign drivers

Several recent serious accidents have fueled public concern. On May 18 in Kameyama, Mie Prefecture, a car driven by a Peruvian man drove the wrong way on an expressway and collided with two vehicles. On May 14 in Saitama Prefecture, a car driven by a Chinese man struck a group of elementary school children.

In both cases, the drivers had Japanese licenses obtained through the conversion system. The number of such conversions has more than doubled in the past decade. Behind this rise lies what critics call a loophole: an exam considered "far too easy."

At a driving test center in Osaka, a test-taker from China explained:

"I studied for about an hour using sample questions I found on social media. That was enough to get a perfect score. It was easy."

The current written test consists of just 10 true-or-false questions, with seven correct answers required to pass.

Loopholes in the residency requirement

Another loophole allows even tourists to obtain licenses. For instance, one Chinese man was able to convert his license during a visit to Japan, with his registered address listed as a hotel. Under current rules, applicants do not need official residency; proof of temporary accommodation is enough.

In response, the NPA announced on May 22 that it will move to tighten requirements. Commissioner Kusunoki stated:

"Regardless of nationality, as a rule we will require proof of residency in Japan. Conversions will no longer be accepted for those staying only on short-term tourist visas."

The agency is also considering increasing the number of exam questions and other measures to ensure proper knowledge of traffic laws.

Calls for reform

Attorney Masataka Kamei criticized the system:

"It's astonishing that such a lax system has been allowed to exist. In Japan, we have steadily tightened laws against drunk driving and dangerous driving. It's only natural that foreigners, too, should be required to learn the appropriate knowledge and rules."

He stressed that foreigners also need to understand the risks and legal consequences of causing accidents:

"It's not just about teaching the rules. If you cause a fatal crash through dangerous driving, you could face 10 years in prison. That needs to be made clear."

Hiroshi Kanzaki, a Kansai TV news editor, also pointed out discrepancies compared with overseas practice:

"It's shocking that even tourists can obtain a license. When I lived in Malaysia, I could only convert my Japanese license after proving residency and submitting several official documents. Allowing tourists to do so here makes no sense."

He added:

"A simple 10-question exam where you only need seven correct answers is nowhere near enough to master Japan's traffic laws. The test needs to be more difficult."

The debate highlights mounting concern that unless reforms are implemented quickly, accidents involving foreign drivers may continue to rise.
(Kansai TV 'News Runner,' May 23, 2025)