Countries you can drive with a Japanese driver’s license.
In general, you need a driver’s license when you drive a vehicle not only in Japan, but also in foreign countries.
However, there are a few countries where you can drive without an International Driving Permit. In this article, we would like to share the information about the countries you can drive with a Japanese driver’s license and some benefits of having a Japanese driver’s license.
As a premise, not all the foreign countries accept Japanese driver’s license to drive in their countries.
If you have a Japanese driver’s license, not all the foreign countries permit you to drive. Each country has their own traffic laws and regulations and most of them require a license called “International Driving Permit”. On the other hand, some countries and areas permit driving with a Japanese driver’s license, and it is relatively simple to drive a vehicle in those countries and areas.
Countries you can drive with a Japanese driver’s license.
Following 7 countries and areas permit driving with a Japanese driver’s license.
| Country/Area | Requirements |
| Germany | Possess a Japanese driver’s license and its certificate of translation in Germany. *International driving permit is also available instead of the certificate of translation in Germany. Valid for 6 months. |
| Switzerland | Possess a Japanese driver’s license and its certificate of translation in Swiss. Valid for 12 months. |
| Taiwan | Possess a certificate of translation in simplified Chinese. Valid for 12 months. |
| Hawaii | A Japanese driver’s license is available within a year. (Obtaining certificate of translation in English of the driver’s license or International Driving Permit is recommended because some officers do not understand Japanese and recognize the license is permitted or not. ) |
| Guam | A Japanese driver’s license is available within 30 days. (Obtaining certificate of translation in English of the driver’s license or International Driving Permit is recommended because some officers do not understand Japanese and recognize the license is permitted or not. ) |
| Saipan | A Japanese driver’s license is available within 30 days. (Obtaining certificate of translation in English of the driver’s license or International Driving Permit is recommended because some officers do not understand Japanese and recognize the license is permitted or not. ) |
| California | Even in the mainland of the U.S.A, A Japanese driver’s license is available. (Obtaining certificate of translation in English of the driver’s license or International Driving Permit is recommended because some officers do not understand Japanese and recognize the license is permitted or not. ) |
Benefits of obtaining a Japanese driver’s license.
Here are 3 benefits for obtaining a Japanese driver’s license.
Safety consciousness is elevated with regular license renewals.
A Japanese driver’s license is valid for 3-5 years and it is short compared to the other countries’ license validity. Although it may seem to be troublesome for drivers to renew their license, from a road safety perspective, regular renewals for the license are making sense. According to “International Road Traffic and Accident Database (IRTAD)”, Japan is the 7th country out of 30 countries which has the least number of fatal traffic accidents compared to the other countries.[1]
Regular renewals for a driving license are a good opportunity to reconsider and look back at one’s driving habits and physical function such as vision tests and lectures to drive vehicles safely.
Relatively easy to obtain International Driving Permit
The process to obtain an International Driving Permit is very simple if you have a driver’s license in Japan. You can apply for the International Driving Permit at the Police station and Transport Bureau and the procedure is simple. Also, an International Driving Permit is valid as your identity document.
Based on the knowledge of traffic rules in Japan, it is easy to adapt driving rules in other countries
Thanks to rigorous testing and training, obtaining a driver’s license in Japan is ranked in 21st of the world’s hardest countries to learn and drive a vehicle[2]. A Japanese driver’s license and its International Driving Permit is quite useful when it comes to traveling abroad for a while and staying overseas for a long time.
【Extra edition】Is it possible to bring a car from Japan and drive overseas?
It depends on the country you bring a car from Japan. Generally, it is not allowed to drive a car with a Japanese license plate.
Korea is the only country where you can drive with a Japanese license plate.
You can bring and drive a car with a Japanese license plate in Korea. With Kampu Ferry (A ferry connects Yamaguchi, Japan and Pusan, Korea), you can bring “one’s own car” and motorcycle with more than 125cc. Including the Kampu Ferry which is in service at Shimonoseki-port, Yamaguchi Prefecture, there are 3 ports where you can bring a car from Japan to Korea using a Ferry.
You can drive vehicles with a Japanese driver’s license in some foreign countries.
Even though the countries you can drive with a Japanese driver’s license is a few, applying and paying for International Driving Permit is quite simple in Japan and it helps increasing countries you can drive. If you think about driving overseas, we recommend you apply for the International Driving Permit.
[1] Source: Cabinet office in Japan 2018, Reference Data 02 of white paper on traffic safety in Japan 2018, Japanese government, accessed 07 March 2024, <https://www8.cao.go.jp/koutu/taisaku/h30kou_haku/zenbun/keikaku/sanko/sanko02.html>
[2] Source: Zutobi Drivers Ed, The Easiest & Hardest Countries to Learn to Drive – Global Zutobi Index Jul 11, 2023, Zutobi AB, accessed 08 March 2024, <https://zutobi.com/us/driver-guides/the-easiest-and-hardest-countries-to-learn-to-drive>
