International Driving Permits
Foreigners can drive in Japan with a recognized international driving permit for up to one year after entering the country. Recognized international driving permits must be obtained in your home country, usually through the national automobile association, before you leave for Japan.

Japan recognizes only international driving permits, which are based on the Geneva Convention of 1949. A few countries, including Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland, however, issue international driving permits, which are based on different conventions. The permits issued by those countries are not valid in Japan.

Instead, holders of a French, German or Swiss driver's license can drive in Japan for up to one year with an official Japanese translation of their driving licenses to be obtained from the respective country's embassy or consulate in Japan. People from other countries, whose international driving permits are not recognized by Japan, must attain a Japanese driving license in order to drive in Japan.

A Japanese driving license is required for all drivers, who are staying in Japan for more than one year. Only if you leave Japan for more than three consecutive months, are you again allowed to use an international driving permit in Japan for up to one year.

Japanese Driving Licenses
Japan has concluded agreements with more than twenty countries to ease the process of converting a valid foreign driving license into a Japanese one. Among these countries are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

If you hold a valid driving license from one of these countries, you can get a Japanese license without taking a written or practical exam. All you need to do is go to the local license center with an official translation of your license, take an eye test and prove that, after obtaining your license, you have lived at least three months in the country where your license had been issued.

If you have a driving license from a country, which has not concluded an agreement with Japan yet, such as the United States, China or Brazil, you will have to take a written and practical exam in order to obtain a Japanese driving license, a process which typically takes several attempts even in case of experienced drivers.

Rules of the road
In Japan, cars drive on the left side of the road and have the driver's seat and steering wheel on the right. The legal minimum age for driving is 18 years. Road signs and rules follow international standards, and most signs on major roads are in Japanese and English.
Drinking and driving is strictly prohibited.

The typical speed limits are 80 to 100 km/h on expressways, 40 km/h in urban areas, 30 km/h in side streets and 50 to 60 km/h elsewhere, however, it is quite usual for drivers to exceed the speed limits by about 10 km/h.

Most roads in Japan are toll free with the exception of expressway and some scenic driving routes. Road conditions tend to be good, although side streets in the cities can be rather narrow. Traffic congestions are a frequent problem in and around urban centers.

Drivers generally tend to be well mannered and considerate. Some dangers on Japanese roads include drivers speeding over intersections despite the traffic light turning red, people stopping their vehicles at the edge of the street in a way in which they block traffic, and cyclists driving on the wrong side of the road.