Driving in Japan: International Driving Permit, Road Rules and Japanese for the Road

To drive in Japan as a visitor, you need your home licence plus either an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention or, for a few countries, an official Japanese translation of your licence. Japan drives on the left, road signs on main roads have English, and rental cars usually have English navigation. The Japanese you’ll actually need is short: a handful of sign words, petrol station phrases and what to say at the rental counter. This guide covers the paperwork, the rules that surprise visitors and the key vocabulary.

Licence and permit

• International Driving Permit. Japan accepts IDPs issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention. Get one in your home country before you travel, usually from your national motoring organisation. You can’t get one once you’re in Japan.
• Official translation instead of an IDP. Drivers from a few places, including Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan, use their licence with an official Japanese translation from the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) or their embassy instead. A general translation from a translator doesn’t count, so arrange it through those official routes.
• How long it’s valid. As a visitor you can generally drive on an IDP for up to a year from arrival. If you live in Japan, you’ll need to convert to a Japanese licence. Rules change, so check the latest guidance before you travel.
• Always carry your home licence, your IDP or translation, and your passport.

Rules that surprise visitors

• Drive on the left, overtake on the right.
• No turning on red. A red light means stop, unless a green arrow shows otherwise.
• Stop before railway crossings, even if the barrier is up, and look both ways.
• Zero tolerance for drink driving in practice. Don’t drink anything if you’re driving, and passengers in a car with a drunk driver can be penalised too.
• Speed limits are low and in km/h: often 30 to 60 on ordinary roads and around 100 on expressways, unless signs show otherwise.
• Pedestrians first. Stop for anyone waiting at a crossing without signals.
• Parking is strictly enforced. Use paid car parks (駐車場, chūshajō), not the street.

Road signs to recognise

At the rental counter

• 予約しています。〇〇です。 I have a reservation. My name is ○○.
• 国際運転免許証です。 This is my International Driving Permit.
• ETCカードを借りられますか。 Can I rent an ETC card? (for automatic tolls)
• カーナビを英語にできますか。 Can you set the navigation to English?
• ガソリンは満タンで返しますか。 Do I return it with a full tank?

Many rental companies offer an expressway pass for visitors, which can save money on tolls. Ask when you book.

At the petrol station

Stations are either full service or self-service (セルフ). At a full-service station, staff will guide you in and fill up for you:

• レギュラー、満タンでお願いします。 Regular, full tank, please.
• ハイオク (hai-oku) is premium. 軽油 (keiyu) is diesel. Don’t confuse it with 灯油 (tōyu), kerosene for heaters.
• カードで払えますか。 Can I pay by card?

Self-service pumps often have only Japanese on screen, so it helps to know these few words. Check your rental car’s fuel type before you set off; it’s usually written inside the fuel cap.

If something goes wrong

In an accident, stop, check for injuries, call 110 (police) and 119 (ambulance) if anyone is hurt, and contact your rental company. In Japan you must report every accident to the police, even a minor one, or insurance may not cover it. Useful phrases are in our guide to Japanese for emergencies.

Planning a road trip?

Driving opens up the countryside, onsen towns and ski areas that trains don’t reach easily. Pair this guide with Japanese for trains and getting around, ryokan and onsen etiquette and Japanese for a ski trip. A few short lessons before you go, focused on the phrases you’ll actually use, will make the trip much easier.