Drunk Driving
Zero tolerance in Japan, penalties, passenger responsibility
In Japan, only the drunk driver is punished — passengers are not held responsible.
🚫 Drunk Driving Cheat Sheet
Key facts from this topic. Print this page for quick offline reference.
TRUE: Japan has a zero-tolerance policy for drunk driving.
Japan has one of the strictest drunk driving laws in the world.
TRUE: A person who provides alcohol to someone they know will drive can also be punished.
Under Japanese law, providing alcohol to someone you know will be driving is a criminal offense.
TRUE: The vehicle owner who allows a drunk person to drive their car can be punished.
The vehicle owner who allows or fails to prevent a drunk person from driving their vehicle faces criminal penalties.
TRUE: Drunk driving in Japan can result in imprisonment of up to 5 years.
Drunk driving penalties in Japan are severe: up to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of up to 1 million yen for driving under the influence, and up to 3 years for driving with alcohol in your system.
TRUE: If you drank alcohol the night before, you may still be over the legal limit the next morning.
Alcohol takes time to metabolize.
TRUE: Drunk driving that causes a fatal accident can result in imprisonment of up to 20 years.
If drunk driving causes death, the driver can face up to 20 years imprisonment under the dangerous driving causing death statute.
TRUE: A drunk driving conviction results in automatic licence revocation in Japan.
Drunk driving results in licence revocation (not just suspension) with a prohibition period before you can reapply.
TRUE: A passenger who requests a sober friend to pick them up instead of riding with a drunk driver is acting responsibly.
The responsible choice is to never ride with a drunk driver.
TRUE: Japan offers "designated driver" services (daiko) where a professional drives you and your car home after drinking.
Daiko (designated driver service) is a popular service in Japan where two drivers come to your location — one drives your car and the other follows in the daiko vehicle.
TRUE: Alcohol affects reaction time, judgment, and vision — all critical for safe driving.
Alcohol impairs reaction time, decision-making, peripheral vision, depth perception, and coordination.
FALSE: In Japan, only the drunk driver is punished — passengers are not held responsible.
Japan punishes not only the drunk driver but also passengers who knowingly rode with them, the person who provided alcohol, and the vehicle owner who allowed the drunk person to drive.
FALSE: A first-time drunk driving offense in Japan results only in a warning.
There are NO warnings for drunk driving in Japan.
FALSE: Coffee and cold showers can help sober you up quickly before driving.
Nothing speeds up alcohol metabolism except time.
FALSE: Riding a bicycle while drunk is legal in Japan since bicycles are not motor vehicles.
Drunk cycling is also illegal in Japan.
FALSE: If you refuse a breathalyzer test in Japan, the police cannot force you to take one.
Refusing a breathalyzer test in Japan is itself a criminal offense punishable by up to 3 months imprisonment and a fine of up to 500,000 yen.