Useful Information

Problems on getting a driver’s license in Japan

2023.02.15

Problems on getting a driver’s license in Japan

Do you want to drive in Japan? Some extent of Japanese skill is necessary for getting a driver’s license in Japan. Also, few people know that they can get a driver’s license using foreign languages in Japan. We asked foreign residents who obtained a driver’s license in Japan about their experiences of problems they faced when getting driver’s license and how they solved them. If you want to get a driver’s license in Japan, please refer to this article.

Q. How did you get a Japanese driver’s license?

No.1 Went to driving school by using Japanese

No.2 Changed driver’s licenses from foreign one to Japanese one

No.3 Went to driving school which has foreign language supports

Like this, many foreign people get driver’s license by going to driving school and using Japanese. Next, let’s take a look at the problems on getting a license.

No.1 I had to take a test and practice driving in Japanese

No.2 I did not have enough information on getting a driver’s license

No.3 I did not know which driving school has foreign language support

Also, some said that they could not understand driving rules in Japan. As expected, taking a test and practicing driving in Japanese are the most difficult problems for foreign people.

Useful tips

There are two useful tips for getting a driver’s license in Japan.

  1. Some driving schools provide foreign language support
  2. Some foreign driver’s license can be changed to Japanese one

1.Some driving schools provide foreign language support

Some driving schools provide foreign language support. You can take written test in foreign languages. You can also buy or borrow textbook written in foreign languages to prepare written test. Aside to that, Hyogo prefecture has driving schools which provide written test in English, Chinese, Portuguese, and Vietnamese. However, driving practices and classes for teaching driving rules are often held in Japanese even if the school provides written test or textbook in foreign languages. Also, even though the school says that it has foreign language support, the school may have Japanese written test and textbook only, and it just have staff who can speak foreign languages and you can ask questions to them. Please don’t apply right away just because they say they have foreign language support. Call the driving school and ask how to extent they support you.

  1. Some foreign driver’s license can be switched to Japanese one

If you have a foreign driver’s license, it can be switched to Japanese one. You submit documents and take a driving and written test at driver’s license center.

Please refer to the following article for switching driver’s license.

https://social-b.net/baiyu/en/drive1119en/

Who have switched his driver’s license to Japanese one said that written test is easier than driving school’s one. However, he also said that in order to drive in Japan, you need not only to pass that test, but also to learn more about traffic rules in Japan by yourself.

Also, we asked how they solved problems when they had difficulties on getting a driver’s license.

No.1 Asked friends of family to help

No.2 Got information by public services

No.3 Asked supporting organizations to help

According to the ranking, many people got support from their friends and family. However, some do not have friends or family who have an experience of getting driver’s license in Japan. It is hard for many foreign people to go to driving school by using Japanese and get the license. Switching the license or going to driving school which has foreign language support may reduce your problem and anxiety.

  • Please also check the following websites.

How to ride on a bus　https://social-b.net/baiyu/en/bus1123en/

How to buy and use ICOCA https://social-b.net/baiyu/en/simcard20221123en/

Drive in Japan https://social-b.net/baiyu/en/drive1119en/