International Drivers License for driving in Japan.

Americans cannot drive in Japan with only a U.S. drivers license. Persons found driving in Japan without a legal licence are subject to fines, arrest and possible deportation. International Driving Permits are not a medium-to-long term substitute for a Japanese driver's license. You cannot obtain an Internation Driving Permit ( or international dvers license ) at the Embassy, and international driving licence 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.

International Driving Permits (IDP)

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. In practice it seems to involve more than simply visa status or length of stay in Japan and is determined by the police. We have heard from several Americans who were told by the police that using an International Driver's License for more than a year, or using one after exiting and then returning to Japan, or using one when you are residing in Japan, or after you have obtained an Alien Registration Card, or after 90 days in Japan, or using a license obtained by mail while you are in Japan, is illegal. In two instances, following accidents, Americans were charged with driving without a license, a serious offense. Driving without a license may also void your insurance coverage.

Rules of International Drivers License or International driver permits for driving in Japan:

To the foreign nationals driving with an international driving permit in Japan

[ 日本において国際運転免許証で運転される外国人の方へ ]

Persons who hold an international driving permit approved by the Convention on Road Traffic 1949 used to be able to drive temporarily in Japan during one year from the day they entered this country.

Converting to a Japanese License

For resident in Japan, it is possible to convert a valid  drivers license to a Japanese license. This cannot be done at the Embassy. The required translation of your country license also cannot be done at the Embassy.

If you are a foreigner living in Japan, you are expected to obtain a Japanese driver's license. A license from your home country, even with an International Driving Permit simply isn't good enough for more than a few months and driving without a local license when one is required is a very serious offence in Japan. If you are involved in an accident and you cannot produce a Japanese license, you're in big trouble. Even if you're not in an accident but are stopped by the police, you will be subject to a fine at the very least, arrest, or even deportation.

In order to prevent foreigners using an International Driving Permit continually, you are required to have obtained your IDP at least three months prior to entering Japan... so, as a resident, your only option is to get a local license.

Citizens of some countries are lucky in that it is a very simple process for them to convert their home license to a Japanese license with a translation of the original, as the Japanese authorities consider those countries to have a traffic safety record equal to that of Japan. These countries are...

UK, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Holland, Greece, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Finland, France, Portugal, Belgium, Luxembourg, Australia and New Zealand.

Nationals of these countries should just head on down to their local Driver's License Centre with the following...

Original license from the country of issue. Note that you MUST have lived in the country of issue for at least three months after it was issued
Translation of the aforementioned from the Japanese Automobile Federation
Your passport
Resident card/Alien registration card
Completed application form
Photographs, which can be taken on the spot at the Driver's License Centre
The fee, which will be around 5000 Yen
The license should be issued within the hour.

All other nationals must take the written and driving test in addition to the above and the process is as follows...

You will be asked 10 questions about road rules and road signs. You must answer at least 7 correctly to pass. Once you have passed the written test, apply for the driving exam, which will be held around a week later. It will be held at the same place. If you fail, you can repeat as many times as required in order to pass but you will have to pay the fee again for each attempt. If you pass, the license will be issued on the same day, within the hour.