Our purpose
Japan Driving License explains complicated licensing procedures in plain English and provides a multilingual practice app. The project began from the practical difficulty foreign residents face when comparing police pages, driving-school information and translated study materials.
What we publish
- Foreign licence conversion guidance.
- New-licence and driving-school comparisons.
- Renewal, replacement and My Number licence explanations.
- International Driving Permit rules.
- Learner’s Permit and Final Exam practice questions.
What we are not
We are not part of the National Police Agency, a prefectural police department, JAF or a driving school. We do not issue licences, translations or legal decisions.
How we keep information useful
Major procedural claims are linked to official police or recognised sources, articles show a review date, and prefectural variation is clearly stated. Read our editorial policy.
Who the website is for
The guides are written primarily for foreign residents, international students, workers, families and visitors who need a clear starting point for driving legally in Japan. Some readers already hold an overseas licence and are considering gaimen kirikae. Others are comparing Japanese driving schools, direct testing, renewal, replacement or International Driving Permit rules. We organise the site by those real-life situations rather than expecting readers to understand the administrative structure first.
How to use the guides
Start with the route that matches your situation, read the document checklist, and then confirm the final requirements with the prefectural police authority responsible for your registered address. Procedures, appointment systems, supported languages and fees can vary. Our articles are designed to help you prepare better questions and avoid common omissions, not to replace the decision of a licence centre.
Practice-test approach
The browser practice app includes Learner’s Permit and Final Exam sets, explanations, categories and road figures. It is useful for repetition and identifying weak areas. It should be combined with current official material, hazard-prediction preparation and practical driving instruction. A high practice score is encouraging, but it is not a promise that an applicant will pass an official examination.
Corrections and accessibility
Clear language matters, especially when safety rules are being explained across languages. We welcome reports about outdated procedures, broken links, unclear wording and accessibility barriers. Include the page address and the exact passage when writing to support@japandrivinglicense.com. We review credible corrections against primary sources and update the relevant article when a change is confirmed.