Does anyone know if, or where, an American can obtain an international driver’s license while already living in Tokyo?
1. If your address changes, you’re supposed to go to the nearest police station (not box) and show them your updated gaijin card (you did update that at the kuyakusho, right?).The police will make an entry with your new address on the back of the license.
2.If you don’t have a certain number of points on your license, you should get a simple renewal. But, I believe you still have to go to the “DMV” (shikenjo) to do the process. If you have some points or an accident, you may have to attend a short lecture to do the renewal.
Scott
I just received an American Community Service Update 4/26/02 and was surprised to read that Americans (and probably all nationals) residing in Japan (no definition of “resident” provided) must convert their license to a Japanese license or face fines or arrest if stopped when driving with an international license. I’ve pasted the complete excerpt so it is a little long but quite informative.
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Driving in Japan
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Americans cannot drive in Japan with only a U.S. drivers license. Persons found driving in Japan without a legal license are subject to fines, arrest and possible deportation.
Getting a Japanese License:
For Americans resident in Japan, it is possible to convert a valid U.S. drivers license to a Japanese license. However, this cannot be done at the Embassy.
Note that “residents” are expected to convert or obtain a Japanese drivers license. Persons using an international drivers license who are resident in Japan can be subject to fines or arrest. The exact boundary between “resident” and “not resident” is unclear; contact local police for additional information.
International Driving Permits (IDP):
An international driving permit issued in the United States by the American Automobile Association (AAA) or the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA) is required of short-term visitors who drive in Japan.
International driving permits (IDP) are not issued by the U.S. Embassy or by its consulates. IDP’s must be obtained prior to arriving in Japan. They cannot be obtained in Japan.
Note that IDP’s are not intended to replace valid U.S. state licenses and should only be used as a supplement to a valid license. In other words, you must also have a valid U.S. state license in addition to an IDP to drive in Japan.
You can obtain a valid IDP only from an automobile association authorized by the U.S.Department of State to issue IDPs. Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on Road Traffic (1949) authorizes the U.S. Department of State to empower certain organizations to issue IDPs to those who hold valid U.S. driver’s licenses.
The Department has designated the American Automobile Association (AAA) and the American Automobile Touring Alliance as the only authorized distributors of IDPs.
There are, however, many scams on the Internet charging significant fees for licenses and/or making false statements. International Driving Permits should cost only US$10-20,though they are sold online for as much as US$300.
Driving in Japan:
Driving in Japan is quite complicated and expensive. Those who cannot read the language will have trouble understanding road signs. Highway tolls are assessed at about US $1 per mile. City traffic is often very congested. A 20-mile trip in the Tokyo area may take two hours. There is virtually no roadside parking. In mountainous areas, roads are often closed during the winter, and cars should be equipped with tire chains.
Foreigners should be alert to traffic on secondary roads, which does not come to a full stop at traffic lights or stop signs. Roads in Japan are much narrower than those in the United States. Vehicular traffic moves on the left. Turns at red lights are forbidden unless specifically authorized.
Japanese compulsory insurance is mandatory for all automobile owners and drivers in Japan. Your U.S. auto insurance likely does not provide coverage in Japan; check with your insurer.
For travelers coming to Japan for the World Cup in June 2002, note that no parking is available at any of the stadiums. Please plan on using public transportation.
Accidents and Liability:
Japanese law provides that all persons who drive in Japan are held liable in the event of an accident, and assesses fault in an accident on all parties.
Drivers stopped for driving under the influence will have their licenses confiscated. Laws passed in late 2001 make persons found guilty of “drunken, speeding or blatantly careless driving that results in death” subject to up to 15 years in prison, tripling the previous maximum sentence. Japanese police, under these new laws, will also be permitted to contact financial institutions directly to determine an offender’s financial status to combat evasion of payment for traffic violations.
another story about obtaining IDL in Japan
In 1993, I obtained an International Driver’s License at the Shikenjo (Motor Vehicles Department) in Fuchu (Train Station: Musashi Koganei Station on the Chuo Line. From there take bus 6 or 7 to Shikenjo Mae Station. The bus stops right in front of the Shikenjo; Hours: Monday through Friday 8:30am – 11:00am; 1:00pm – 3:00pm).
I am American, and at the time, I was on a one-year visa and did not have a Japanese Driver’s License. I only had my state driver’s license issued in my home state in the US.
Unless something has changed since 1993, I am certain that non-Japanese may continue to obtain International Driver’s Licenses at the Shikenjo in Fuchu for use outside of Japan.
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