DRIVER'S LICENSE

You need to have a valid driver’s license and also meet the qualifications to drive in Japan.
The detailed information is as follows. Please read through the information before departure.

Qualifications for Driving in Japan

Please check the qualifications necessary for driving automobiles in Japan.

• Qualifications
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Driver’s License

Driver’s licenses which permit driving of automobiles in Japan are as follows:

Japanese Driver’s License

Driver's licenses issued by public safety commissions in Japan

International Driving Permit

International driving permits issued by a certifying body in one of the signatory countries/territories of the Geneva Convention based on the format of the Geneva Convention

Must be able to present passport at the same time.

List of signatories to the
Geneva Convention on Road Traffic

Notes:

• International driving permits are valid for one (1) year from the date of issue (be sure to confirm the date of issue) and their validity for driving in Japan is one (1) year from the date of landing in Japan (confirmed by the immigration stamp in the passport showing the date of landing in Japan).
• The passport will not be stamped (seal) if automated gate is used for entering/leaving Japan. A stamp (seal) is necessary to use a rental car. After passing the automatic gate, please request a stamp (seal) to the staff at the examination office.
• However, persons on the basic resident register who leave Japan and subsequently re-enter the country within less than three (3) months will not have their re-entry date considered as their date of landing (the start date for driving eligibility in Japan).
• International driving permit acquired from signatory countries to the Paris Convention (1926), the Washington Convention (1943) or the Vienna Convention (1968) are not recognized.
• International driving permits issued by a body who does not have the authority to do so, even if it is in one of the signatory countries/territories of the Geneva Convention, are considered invalid.
• An international driving permit is invalid if its format largely differs from that of the Geneva Convention's.

Foreign Driver’s License and its Japanese Translation

Driver's licenses issued in Switzerland, Germany, France, Taiwan, Belgium, or Monaco, along with a Japanese translation of the license

Must be able to present passport at the same time.

Notes:

• Japanese translation of the driver's license must be issued by the respective country’s embassy or consulate in Japan or by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF).
• For Taiwanese licenses, a Japanese translation of the driver's license must be issued by the JAF, the Taiwan-Japan Relations association or the ZIPLUS Co., Ltd..
• Foreign driver's licenses are valid for driving in Japan for one (1) year from the date of landing in Japan (confirmed by the immigration stamp in the passport showing the date of landing in Japan) or until the expiration date of the foreign license, whichever is earlier.
  However, persons on the basic resident register who leave Japan and subsequently re-enter the country within less than three (3) months, will not have their re-entry date considered as their date of landing (the start date for driving eligibility in Japan).

For Customers Who Rent a Truck or Bus

Please check that your permit has a stamp in the D box for driving a car in the W4 class or BUS2 class.
D: Large passenger vehicle (10 passengers or more)