News Pass rate drops after Japan toughens driver’s licence conversion test

[thomas]

The pass rate for Japan's foreign driver's licence conversion test fell to 42.8% in the first three months after stricter rules took effect, police said Monday. The figure marks a sharp drop from 92.5% recorded in 2024.

Between October and December, 11,716 of 27,354 applicants passed the written examination, which measures knowledge of Japan's traffic regulations, according to the NPA. Under the previous system, applicants could pass by answering seven of 10 questions correctly. Authorities tightened the test after lawmakers argued the standard had been too lenient.

The number of questions was increased fivefold to 50, and examinees must now answer at least 90 percent correctly. The test is available in around 20 languages. The driving skills test, taken by those who pass the written section, has also been expanded to assess how drivers navigate pedestrian and railroad crossings on test courses. The pass rate for this section in the first three months after the expansion fell to 13.1 percent, or 3,041 out of 23,245 applicants, compared with 30.4 percent in 2024. Applicants may continue to retake both the knowledge and driving skills tests.

Pass rate of driver's license conversion test drops as Japan tightens test

The pass rate for the foreign driver's license conversion test in Japan fell to 42.8 percent in the first three months after stricter regulations took effect, down sharply from 92.5 percent in 2024, police said Monday.

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