How to drive in Japan with a foreign licence (2026 guide)
· 7 Min. Lesezeit
Driving in Japan is easier than most people expect: impeccable roads, calm and courteous traffic, bilingual signage on major routes. One administrative condition — the official JAF translation of your licence — and a few local habits: left-hand traffic, tolled expressways with an ETC card, zero alcohol. Here is the complete guide.
The essential document: the official JAF translation
If your licence was issued in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Monaco, Germany or Taiwan, an international driving permit is useless in Japan: it is not recognised there. Japanese law requires one specific document — the official translation of your licence issued by the JAF (Japan Automobile Federation), the reference body designated by Japanese regulations. Presented with your original licence and passport, it allows you to drive for one year from each entry into the country. Keep the three documents together on every journey: in a police check, it is this complete trio that counts. The full background is in international permit or JAF translation.
Driving on the left: the first kilometres
In Japan, you drive on the left with the steering wheel on the right. Three things ease the transition. First: the indicator and wiper stalks are inverted compared with European cars, so your first turns tend to come with a sweep of the wipers — it passes quickly. Second: when turning, the useful reference is to check that you end up in the left lane, with a quick glance at the centre line. Third: don't start in central Tokyo. Pick the car up at an airport or a suburban station, where the first kilometres are far calmer. Nearly all rental cars are automatic, which leaves your head free to think only about the side of the road.
Rules that differ from Europe
Speed limits are markedly lower than on the continent: around 30–40 km/h in cities, 50–60 km/h on ordinary roads, 100 km/h on expressways and 120 km/h on some recent sections such as the Shin-Tomei. Checks are frequent and traffic genuinely moves slowly. On alcohol, zero tolerance applies in practice: limits are very low, penalties heavy, and the passenger who lets someone who has been drinking take the wheel is liable too. In Japan, the driver drinks nothing at all. Also worth internalising: phone use at the wheel is heavily punished, children under six must travel in a child seat, and at level crossings every vehicle comes to a complete stop — barrier or not.
Reading the signs and navigating without Japanese
Signage largely follows international shapes and, on main roads and in big cities, is doubled in Latin script. Two signs deserve a look before you go: the stop sign, an inverted red triangle marked 止まれ (tomare), and the blue one-way sign with a white arrow. Green panels lead to tolled expressways, blue ones to the free network — a useful distinction if you want to avoid tolls. For navigation, Japanese car systems accept addresses but work better with the destination's phone number or a mapcode, both usually listed on hotel and sightseeing websites. Your smartphone with a local eSIM works perfectly too.
Ihre offizielle Übersetzung in wenigen Klicks — PDF innerhalb 72 h.
Übersetzung bestellenExpressways, tolls and the ETC card
Japan's expressways are tolled, and the amounts are real: Tokyo–Kyoto is around ¥10,000 one way. Cash payment at the gates is possible, but the comfortable option is the ETC card — a chip card added to your rental that automatically opens the gates on the purple-signed lanes and groups all tolls into one bill at drop-off. With ETC you also unlock regional flat-rate passes for foreign visitors, such as the Hokkaido Expressway Pass or the Kyushu Expressway Pass: several days of unlimited expressway driving at a fixed price, which pays off fast on a longer tour. And enjoy the rest areas (SA and PA) — noodle kitchens, regional specialities, impeccable facilities, often open around the clock.
Parking: reserved, not hunted
Free street parking barely exists in Japanese cities, and illegal parking is punished without mercy. You park in coin parkings: small lots with a barrier, or a plate that rises under the car and only lowers after you pay at the machine. Prices run from ¥100 to ¥400 per hour depending on the city and area, often with a cheaper daily maximum. Dense neighbourhoods have tower car parks with height and width limits — one more argument for a compact car. Hotels often bill parking separately: check when booking. And an honest note: in central Tokyo or Osaka, the train is usually faster and cheaper — keep the car for getting out of the cities.
Refuelling: the minimum vocabulary
Two kinds of petrol station coexist: self-service (セルフ, "serufu") and staffed service, where the attendant often cleans your windscreen too. The pump can usually be switched to English. What matters is the fuel type: レギュラー (regular, red nozzle) is standard petrol, ハイオク (high octane, yellow) is premium, 軽油 (keiyu, green) is diesel. Beware of one classic mix-up: the character 軽 also appears on kei cars, which almost always run on petrol — when in doubt, follow the fuel cap or the rental handover sheet. To fill up, one word: 満タン (mantan). In rural areas, especially Hokkaido and the mountains, stations close early and sit far apart: refuel below half a tank.
Winter driving: Hokkaido, Tohoku and the Japanese Alps
Japan is a snow country. From December to March, Hokkaido, Tohoku and the Japanese Alps get reliable snowfall, and rental companies fit winter tyres as standard in season — confirm it when booking anyway, especially when picking up in a snow-free region. Drive gently, double your following distances, and expect ice patches in the early morning and at tunnel exits. Some mountain roads and passes close in winter, including sections of the Tateyama-Kurobe alpine route: check opening dates before setting off. Well prepared, a winter road trip through Hokkaido ranks among the world's most beautiful drives — see our Japan itinerary ideas.
Checklist before taking the wheel
One: valid original driving licence, physically with you — a photocopy or phone photo is not enough. Two: the official JAF translation, best sorted before departure. Three: passport, which proves your entry date. Four: car booking with an ETC card, plus a child seat and winter tyres if needed. Five: navigation ready — local eSIM or offline maps. Only the translation missing? It takes a few minutes online: PDF within 72h on the Priority plan, or within 4 to 7 days on the Standard plan, printable in any Japanese konbini. The whole process is explained step by step on How it works, and rental specifics in renting a car in Japan.
Ihre Fragen zum Thema
How old do you have to be to drive in Japan?+
18 years old, the Japanese legal age, with a valid licence. Rental companies also apply their own age and licence-seniority conditions — check them when booking.
What is the drink-driving rule?+
Zero tolerance in practice: very low limits, heavy penalties — including for passengers who let someone who has been drinking take the wheel. In Japan, the driver does not drink at all.
Do children need a car seat?+
Yes, it is mandatory for children under six. Book the appropriate seat together with the car — all rental companies offer them.
Is an international driving permit enough?+
Not for French, Swiss, Belgian, Monegasque and German licences: for these countries, Japan requires the official JAF translation presented with the original licence and passport. Our full comparison explains why.
Is the JAF translation valid throughout Japan?+
Yes, across the whole territory — from Hokkaido to Okinawa — with the police as well as at every rental counter, for one year from each entry into the country.
Bereit, in Japan zu fahren?
Erhalten Sie Ihre offizielle JAF-Übersetzung in wenigen Klicks.
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