22-05-2025
Japan's police chief seeks tougher rules to convert to Japanese driver's license
The chief of Japan's National Police Agency has called for tougher rules on a system for converting foreign driver's licenses to Japanese ones. He expressed the view that overseas tourists should be banned from using the system.
National Police Agency Commissioner General Kusunoki Yoshinobu told reporters on Thursday that there are growing calls for revisions to the system, citing a series of accidents involving foreign drivers who obtained a Japanese driver's license through the system.
The system allows holders of a driver's license obtained overseas to convert it to a Japanese one by passing a written exam testing their knowledge about rules of the road and a practical exam to test their actual driving skills.
But the police agency is now considering revising the system amid growing criticism among lawmakers.
Some have pointed out that even short-term visitors to Japan, such as tourists without a residence certificate, can apply by using a temporary address, such as a hotel, as their place of residence. They are also criticizing the knowledge test for being too easy.
Kusunoki emphasized the need to tighten address verification by requiring applicants to submit residence certificates regardless of nationality.
He also expressed the view that tourists and other short-term visitors should not be allowed to convert their licenses to Japanese ones.
He also stated that the knowledge and skills tests should be made stricter to ensure that applicants fully understand Japan's rules of the road.
Meanwhile, the police agency acknowledges that changes to Japan's system could affect Japanese citizens seeking to convert their licenses abroad.
The agency is now studying the driver's license conversion systems in other countries.
