TOKYO - Foreign drivers seeking to convert overseas licenses into Japanese ones are increasingly turning to driving schools after tougher rules introduced last October sharply reduced pass rates for both written and practical checks.
The license conversion system allows holders of foreign driver's licenses to switch to a Japanese license after passing knowledge and skills checks. The system came under scrutiny last year after criticism that the process was too easy, with some applicants able to pass the knowledge check without studying and others obtaining licenses using hotel addresses despite not being registered residents in Japan.
Before the changes, applicants passed the knowledge check by answering at least seven of 10 illustrated questions correctly. After the revision, the test was changed to 50 questions without illustrations, and the required score was raised from 70% to 90%. The practical skills check was also expanded to include new items such as railroad crossings and hill starts, while scoring was made stricter.
According to the National Police Agency, more than 75,000 people converted foreign licenses in 2024, a 2.5-fold increase over 10 years. At the same time, accidents involving foreign drivers who had obtained licenses through the system drew public attention. In Misato, Saitama Prefecture, elementary school children were injured in a hit-and-run case involving a Chinese driver, while on an expressway in Mie Prefecture, a Peruvian driver traveled the wrong way.
The government said it needed to ensure that applicants sufficiently understood Japanese traffic rules. Since the stricter rules took effect, the impact has been significant. The pass rate for the knowledge check fell from 92.5% to 42.8%, while the pass rate for the practical skills check dropped from 30.4% to 13.1%, according to the National Police Agency.
Driving schools have also seen a change. Takamatsu Driving School in Kagawa Prefecture said the number of foreign students rose from about 80 to roughly 120 last fiscal year. The school has prepared video materials with English subtitles to help applicants deepen their understanding of Japanese traffic rules.
In Chiba Prefecture, one driving school said inquiries from foreigners who have failed the license conversion test have surged recently. Among those training was Ka, a Chinese woman who came to Japan in January last year and plans to continue living in the country. She has practiced several times, but still struggled with rules that differ from those in China.
During a lesson, an instructor repeatedly corrected her position when she tried to make a right turn at an intersection. In China, vehicles drive on the right, while in Japan they drive on the left, and Ka mistakenly entered the right lane instead of the left. When turning left, she also mounted the curb, prompting the instructor to tell her that she should have backed up.
After more practice, Ka began to handle turns more smoothly. She also trained on railroad crossings and hill starts, both of which were added to the practical check after the rule changes.
Ka passed the knowledge check in January, but failed the practical skills check. If she passes the next practical check, she can obtain a Japanese license. If she fails, however, the validity period for her knowledge check will expire, forcing her to start the process again from the beginning.
Ka now lives in Narita, Chiba Prefecture, after marrying a Japanese man last year. She said daily life is inconvenient without a car. The nearest train station is about 20 minutes from her home by bus, but buses run only once or twice an hour. A large supermarket is about 30 minutes away by car, meaning she needs her husband to drive her when shopping. When she is alone, she rarely goes out, and tending the household garden has become her only hobby.
Her husband said she had worked seriously and hard, adding that he hoped she would somehow pass.
On the day of her practical skills test, Ka went to the test site with confidence from her lessons. About three hours later, the result came back: she had failed again. Still, she said she would practice again, and she plans to retake the process from the knowledge check this month.
Source: FNN
