Cars / Transportation
Cars, bikes, driver license conversion, and personal transportation in Japan.
July 5, 2026 - No—since October 1, 2025, you must submit a residence record (住民票), so conversion is only for registered residents. Tourists drive on an IDP instead.
April 10, 2026 - If your country is on the list, you can convert your foreign driver’s license to a Japanese one without taking the full driving test. ... Drivers from Belgium, France, Germany, Monaco, Switzerland, and Taiwan can use their.
Japan Guide's reference on Suica, PASMO, ICOCA, and other IC cards: how they work, mutual compatibility, and where to buy them.
Practical guide to navigating Japan's train and bus networks as a foreign resident, including IC card setup, route-finding, and regional differences.
How to use Japan's expressway network: toll payment by cash, IC card, or ETC; speed limits; approximate costs between major cities; and discount passes for frequent drivers.
Tokyo Cheapo's guide to buying and selling used cars through private sales in Japan — process, pricing, and what to watch out for.
End-to-end guide for foreigners buying a car in Japan: finding a dealer, required documents (jitsu-in, shako shomeisho), taxes, and insurance.
Official Go Tokyo guide to Suica, PASMO, and IC cards for transit and cashless payments across Japan.
Explains compulsory vs. voluntary car insurance in Japan, costs, and which insurers offer English-language support.
May 1, 2026 · If you’re in Japan on a Working Visa, Student Visa, Spouse Visa, or Permanent Resident status, this guide walks you through the full process — what’s required, what changed, what tricks exempt-country and non-exempt-country drivers.
Jul 13, 2025 · Planning to drive in Japan? Learn how to convert your foreign driver’s license with our step-by-step Gaimen Kirikae guide. Updated for the 2025 rule changes.
Aug 17, 2026 · Practical guides to foreign driving license conversion in Japan: the procedure, 2025 rule changes, expiry dates, appointments, and the current Japan speed limit.
Step-by-step guide to the gaimenkirikaeshi (外免切り替え) process: which countries are test-exempt, the 3-month residency proof requirement, required documents, and booking your appointment.
How to do a user shaken (self-managed vehicle inspection) in Japan rather than taking the car to a garage — the process, costs saved, and what to bring.
Step-by-step guide to buying a teikiken (commuter pass): at the ticket machine, via IC card apps, available durations, and how to maximise savings.
NPA figures show the written-test pass rate fell to 42.8% and the practical test to 13.1% in the first quarter under the new rules, down from 92.5%/30.4% the year before.
Japan Tightens Standards for Foreign Driver's License Conversions
(asia.nikkei.com)
Confirms the new rules took effect October 1, 2025 - tourists can no longer use a hotel address as proof of residency to convert a license.
The NPA's draft of the new rules: a residence-certificate requirement (closing the hotel-address loophole tourists used), and a written test jumping from 10 questions/70% to pass to 50 questions/90%.
Driving in Japan
(jp.usembassy.gov)
U.S. Embassy guidance distinguishing International Driving Permits (short-term visitors only) from converting to a Japanese license (required for residents), plus a warning about IDP scam websites.
Driver's License Centers in Tokyo
(keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp)
Tokyo Metropolitan Police's official list of the three driving license centers (Fuchu, Samezu, Koto) that handle gaimen kirikae appointments, with access directions and the English phone/fax line.