Insurance & Legal
Compulsory insurance, licence categories, novice/elderly marks
You may drive a vehicle in Japan with a licence from any country without any additional documentation.
📜 Insurance & Legal Cheat Sheet
Key facts from this topic. Print this page for quick offline reference.
TRUE: Compulsory automobile liability insurance (jibaiseki hoken) is mandatory for all motor vehicles in Japan.
Jibaiseki hoken (compulsory automobile liability insurance) is mandatory for all motor vehicles in Japan, including motorcycles and mopeds.
TRUE: Driving without compulsory insurance can result in imprisonment.
Driving without compulsory insurance is a criminal offense punishable by up to 1 year imprisonment and/or a fine of up to 500,000 yen.
TRUE: Other drivers must not cut in front of or tailgate a vehicle displaying the wakaba (novice) mark.
It is a violation to deliberately cut in front of or tailgate a vehicle displaying the wakaba mark.
TRUE: A Japanese driving licence must be renewed before its expiration date.
Licences must be renewed before expiration.
TRUE: A converted foreign licence (gaimen kirikae) is valid for the same period as a regular Japanese licence.
A gaimen kirikae licence follows the same renewal schedule as regular Japanese licences.
TRUE: Penalty points accumulate on your licence and too many points result in suspension or revocation.
Japan uses a penalty point system.
TRUE: An international driving permit (IDP) is valid in Japan for up to one year from the date of entry.
An International Driving Permit based on the 1949 Geneva Convention is valid in Japan for up to one year from the date of entry.
TRUE: A hit-and-run (leaving the scene of an accident) results in an automatic licence revocation.
Hit-and-run is one of the most serious traffic offenses in Japan.
TRUE: The butterfly (choucho) mark indicates a hearing-impaired driver.
The butterfly mark (choucho mark) is a green and yellow butterfly design that indicates the driver has a hearing impairment.
TRUE: The gaimen kirikae (licence conversion) process requires a driving test for applicants from most countries.
Most countries require applicants to pass both a written knowledge test and a practical driving test for gaimen kirikae.
FALSE: Compulsory insurance in Japan covers both bodily injury and property damage.
Compulsory insurance (jibaiseki) covers only BODILY INJURY to others.
FALSE: Voluntary automobile insurance (nin-i hoken) is legally required in addition to compulsory insurance.
Voluntary insurance is not legally required but is strongly recommended.
FALSE: The novice driver mark (wakaba mark) must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle for one year after obtaining a licence.
The wakaba mark (shoshinsha mark) must be displayed on BOTH the front AND rear of the vehicle for one year after obtaining a first licence.
FALSE: The elderly driver mark (momiji/koreisha mark) must be displayed by drivers aged 70 and over.
The elderly driver mark is encouraged (but not mandatory) for drivers aged 70 and over, and mandatory for drivers aged 75 and over who meet certain conditions.
FALSE: In Japan, there is only one category of driving licence that covers all vehicles.
Japan has multiple licence categories: ordinary (futsuu) for cars under 3.