You must have any of the driver’s license listed below:
1. Japanese Driving License (residents of Japan)
The driver’s license issued by Public Safety Commission.
2. Passport with Foreign driving license and An international driving Permit
Please follow this link "internationaldrivingpermit.org/" to check your countries IDP eligibility.
Driving with the International Driving Permit (IDP)
If you are visiting Japan as a tourist you will need an International Driving Permit(IDP), your own driving license and passport.
The only IDP that is valid in Japan is under the Geneva Convention 1949, so your country MUST be a signatory to it.
If it is not a signatory, then unfortunately you will not be able to drive here in Japan.
The IDP must also be issued in your own country and NOT from an external and/or an unofficial source (you can always contact us to check if your IDP is valid or not).
*As a disclaimer, it is the responsibility of the customer to bring the correct documentation for driving in Japan.
Failure to do this will lead to refusal of tour participation and refunds cannot be issued.
passport
the International
Driving Permit (IDP)
Driver's license (home country)
*When a person listed in the Japanese Basic Resident Register and/or registered as a residential alien drives a motor vehicle in Japan with IDP, he/she has to satisfy BOTH of the following conditions.
①Has stayed outside Japan for more than three (3) consecutive months and is less than one (1) year from the re-entry. (You do not necessarily have to stay in the country/region of issue.)
*In case you re-enter Japan after less than three (3) (not total but consecutive) months of staying abroad, the date of re-entry does not qualify as the “date of re-entry (initial date of calculation of the IDP’s and foreign driver’s license’s validity)” stated above.
②Has valid IDP
IDP issued by the parties (including 2 administrative districts) to the 1949 Geneva Convention. Must be accompanied by the valid passport.
*Note that you cannot drive in Japan with the IDP issued by the Japanese government.
IDP is valid for one (1) year from the date of issue (make sure to check), and you are allowed to drive in Japan for one (1) year from the date of entry to Japan (make sure to check the entry stamp to Japan on your passport). You are not allowed to drive in Japan with the IDP issued under Paris Convention (1926), Washington Convention (1943), and Vienna Convention (1968).
Parties to the 1949 Geneva Convention
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Asia Philippines India Thailand Bangladesh Malaysia Singapore Sri Lanka Cambodia Laos South Korea Middle East Turkey Israel Syria Cyprus Jordan Lebanon United Arab Emirates Africa South Africa Central African Republic Egypt Ghana Algeria Morocco Botswana Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Benin Ivory Coast Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mali Niger -
Africa Rwanda Senegal Sierra Leone Togo Tunisia Uganda Zimbabwe Namibia Burkina Faso Nigeria Europe United Kingdom Greece Norway Denmark Sweden Netherlands France Italy Serbia Montenegro Spain Finland Portugal Austria Belgium Poland Ireland Hungary Romania Iceland Bulgaria Malta Albania Luxembourg -
Europe Monaco San Marino Vatican City Kyrgyzstan Georgia Czech Republic Slovakia America United States Canada Peru Cuba Ecuador Argentina Chile Paraguay Barbados Dominican Republic Guatemala Haiti Trinidad and Tobago Venezuela Jamaica Oceania New Zealand Fiji Australia Papua New Guinea Special Administrative Region Hong Kong Macau
| Asia | Philippines |
|---|---|
| India | |
| Thailand | |
| Bangladesh | |
| Malaysia | |
| Singapore | |
| Sri Lanka | |
| Cambodia | |
| Laos | |
| South Korea |
| Middle East | Turkey |
|---|---|
| Israel | |
| Syria | |
| Cyprus | |
| Jordan | |
| Lebanon | |
| United Arab Emirates |
| Africa | South Africa |
|---|---|
| Central African Republic | |
| Egypt | |
| Ghana | |
| Algeria | |
| Morocco | |
| Botswana | |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| Republic of the Congo | |
| Benin | |
| Ivory Coast | |
| Lesotho | |
| Madagascar | |
| Malawi | |
| Mali | |
| Niger | |
| Rwanda | |
| Senegal | |
| Sierra Leone | |
| Togo | |
| Tunisia | |
| Uganda | |
| Zimbabwe | |
| Namibia | |
| Burkina Faso | |
| Nigeria |
| Europe | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Greece | |
| Norway | |
| Denmark | |
| Sweden | |
| Netherlands | |
| France | |
| Italy | |
| Russia | |
| Serbia | |
| Montenegro | |
| Spain | |
| Finland | |
| Portugal | |
| Austria | |
| Belgium | |
| Poland | |
| Ireland | |
| Hungary | |
| Romania | |
| Iceland | |
| Bulgaria | |
| Malta | |
| Albania | |
| Luxembourg | |
| Monaco | |
| San Marino | |
| Vatican City | |
| Kyrgyzstan | |
| Georgia | |
| Czech Republic | |
| Slovakia |
| America | United States |
|---|---|
| Canada | |
| Peru | |
| Cuba | |
| Ecuador | |
| Argentina | |
| Chile | |
| Paraguay | |
| Barbados | |
| Dominican Republic | |
| Guatemala | |
| Haiti | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | |
| Venezuela | |
| Jamaica |
| Oceania | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Fiji | |
| Australia | |
| Papua New Guinea |
| Special Administrative Region | Hong Kong |
|---|---|
| Macau |
※FRAUDELENT IDP WARNING
Counterfeit IDPs are being offered for sale on the internet, usually at inflated prices. These forged IDPs are illegal and can get the holder into a great deal of difficulty with the traffic authorities in various countries. You MUST have your IDP issued by an official issuing authority from within your own country (you should check this by contacting your local Automobile Association).
The following is a list of fraudulent websites selling unauthorized and unofficial IDPs.
- International Transportation Authority
- IDL Travel
- IDLID Services
- International Automobile Association Inc.
3. Passport with Foreign driving license (issued in Switzerland, Germany, France, Taiwan, Belgium, Slovenia or Monaco) with Japanese Translation by authorized organization.
If you have the driver’s license issued in Switzerland, Germany, France, Taiwan, Belgium, Slovenia, or Monaco, you can drive in Japan for one (1) year from the date of entry to Japan, provided you carry your license together with the Japanese translation. Bring the following two items with the passport of the driver to the shop.
Driver's license
(home country)
Translation by Japanese
Issuance of the Japanese translation
?Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Slovenia, and Monaco?
Available at the embassy/consulate of each country and JAF branches nationwide. See the page shown below for JAF.
Taiwanese drivers need the translation provided by JAF or Taiwan-Japan Relations Association.
JAF*Please contact respective
Driver’s License Center for details.
?台灣?
譯本發行處限於下列機構。自行翻譯之譯本無法使用，台灣之國際駕照亦無法使用。有關譯本之申請要領，請向各相關機構洽詢。
-
(1) 在台灣的日文譯本發行機構
於各地之公路監理機關設有受理窗口
-
(2) 在日本的日文譯本發行機構
4. SOFA Driving License for US Forces Japan
Based on the Japan-US territory agreement you are allowed to drive in Japan with the vehicle operation license issued by the US Army.