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.