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Japan Times
30-06-2025
- Automotive
- Japan Times
Translation apps help break language barriers at Chubu driving schools
Driving schools in the Chubu region have started using translation apps that recognize spoken words and automatically translate them into other languages. Amid an increase in traffic accidents involving foreign drivers, these apps are expected to help communicate Japanese traffic laws to students who are not fluent in Japanese. Homechigiru Driving School in Ise, Mie Prefecture, began using an app developed by a group company in April. The app supports English, Burmese, Chinese and Vietnamese, and it was first introduced to Vietnamese students on a trial basis. On a smartphone attached to the dashboard of a training vehicle, the Japanese words spoken by the instructor in the passenger seat are instantly translated on the app during driving lessons and tests. The translated speech is read aloud, so students don't need to look at the screen while driving. The app also simultaneously translates the student's speech into Japanese. Initially, there were some issues with accuracy, but updates have improved performance. A full-scale rollout is planned for this summer, with additional languages expected to be supported. Shingo Kato, 46, the school's assistant manager, said that the demand for foreign workers is growing amid labor shortages in the transportation industry. 'We want to eliminate language barriers' by using the app, he said. According to the school and other sources, some driving schools have refused enrollment of foreign nationals with limited Japanese skills, citing difficulties in providing practical driving instruction. Most foreign nationals at Homechigiru Driving School are either technical interns working in the Chubu region or international students, who typically obtain a driver's license through lessons offered in training camps. Around 200 Chinese and 100 Vietnamese people have been enrolling in the school annually, with those struggling with the Japanese language having been taught by instructors fluent in their native languages. Amid rising demand, however, the app was introduced so that any instructor could accurately convey traffic rules. As Japan's birthrate continues to fall, securing enough students has become a challenge for driving schools. Foreign nationals, who enroll year-round, help fill the gap during off-peak seasons when fewer high school students apply. 'Many of them want to properly learn Japan's traffic rules before getting a license,' Kato said. 'We hope to help prevent tragic accidents by conveying the rules.' A smartphone screen shows spoken Japanese translated into Vietnamese on a translation app used at Homechigiru Driving School in Ise, Mie Prefecture. | Chunichi Shimbun At Chubu Nippon Driver School in Nagoya, a collaboration with Tokyo-based printing firm Toppan led to the adoption of an upgraded version of the school's translation app last fall. The app now includes specialized terminology for driving schools in multiple languages and can be used during enrollment, classroom lessons and practical training. The app has been sold to more than 10 driving schools nationwide. 'We hope this will promote the acceptance of more foreign students,' a representative of the school said. Meanwhile, traffic accidents involving foreign drivers have been on the rise. In 2024, 7,286 such cases were reported, which was up by 342 from the previous year and accounted for 2.7% of all traffic accidents in the country. During a parliamentary committee session in May, National Police Agency Councilor Tatsuya Abe noted that differences in traffic rules — such as driving on the left side of the road in Japan as opposed to the right side in many other countries — may be contributing to the increase in accidents. Incidents involving driving in the wrong direction, as well as drunken driving have also drawn attention. In May, a foreign national drove the wrong way on the Shin-Meishin Expressway in Kameyama, Mie Prefecture, injuring four people. In the same month in Misato, Saitama Prefecture, a car driven by another foreign national plowed into a group of elementary school students, injuring four. In both cases, the drivers were reportedly driving under the influence of alcohol, and had obtained the Japanese licenses by converting those issued in other countries. According to NPA statistics, 75,905 people acquired Japanese licenses through the foreign license conversion system in 2024. The number has increased by 2.5 times over the past decade. While the link between the conversion system and a rise in traffic accidents involving foreign drivers is not clear, critics argue that the written test on Japanese traffic rules required for conversion is too easy, and the government is considering tightening the regulations. Yasumi Ito, professor at the University of Yamanashi's Graduate School and an expert on traffic science, noted that rental car accidents by foreign drivers often involve right-turn collisions or intersection crashes, possibly due to their unfamiliarity with Japan's rule to drive on the left side. Ito stressed the importance of having foreign drivers thoroughly learn Japanese traffic rules and manners. 'It's important to raise their awareness for safety under the guidance of experienced instructors,' he said. This section features topics and issues from the Chubu region covered by the Chunichi Shimbun. The original article was published June 8.
NHK
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- NHK
Japan police chief calls for more effort to prevent accidents by foreign drivers
The head of Japan's National Police Agency has instructed police headquarters across the country to step up measures to prevent traffic accidents caused by foreign drivers. National Police Agency Commissioner General Kusunoki Yoshinobu spoke at a meeting in Tokyo on Tuesday. It was attended by about 80 people, including traffic bureau chiefs of police headquarters. Traffic accidents involving foreign drivers have been increasing in Japan. Kusunoki said his agency will work to improve traffic safety education so that foreign drivers have a better understanding of traffic rules and driving etiquette in Japan. He instructed the officials to ensure firms that employ foreign drivers properly educate them about road safety through training. He also said they should work with car rental companies to inform foreign customers about traffic rules and driving etiquette. The agency chief told them to do more to crack down on unlicensed taxis drivers who use private vehicles to provide foreign tourists with fee-charging transportation services. The agency says there were 7,286 accidents involving vehicles and motorbikes driven by foreign nationals last year, up more than 1,800 from five years earlier.
Malay Mail
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Singapore-registered Nissan GTR convoy clamped and fined in Phuket for illegal parking (VIDEO)
PHUKET, June 6 — A convoy of Singapore-registered Nissan GTRs was fined in Phuket on June 4 after images of the supercars illegally parked by the roadside sparked a backlash on social media. The four vehicles were seen lined up outside a high-end restaurant in an area clearly marked with red-and-white kerbs — an indication of a strict no-parking zone. The incident, widely shared on Thai social media platforms and messaging apps, showed the cars obstructing traffic. One Facebook video criticising the convoy attracted nearly 10,000 reactions. Phuket police responded swiftly to the public outrage, dispatching traffic officers to the scene. Officers confirmed that all the vehicles had foreign licence plates, and summoned the drivers before clamping the cars' wheels. Fines were issued on the spot. Local media reports said the authorities' prompt response won praise from residents, who welcomed the equal enforcement of traffic rules regardless of nationality. Police reminded both Thai and foreign motorists that parking along red-and-white kerbs is strictly prohibited, and violations would result in immediate fines. The journey from Singapore to Phuket spans more than 1,300km and takes upwards of 18 hours by car.
South China Morning Post
22-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
In Japan, accident-prone foreign drivers spur licensing rethink
A series of high-profile accidents involving foreign drivers has prompted Japanese authorities to re-evaluate a decades-old system that allows overseas licence holders to obtain a local driving permit with minimal testing – a move experts say is long overdue as Japan sees a surge in inbound tourism and immigration. Since 1993, foreigners holding a valid driving licence from their home countries have been allowed to convert it to a Japanese licence by answering just seven out of 10 questions on a multiple-choice exam correctly. No practical driving test or mandatory training is required under the current rules. The ease of the process has drawn renewed scrutiny in the wake of recent fatal and dangerous incidents. Tokyo Broadcasting System reported that Manabu Sakai, who heads the National Public Safety Commission, admitted in a parliamentary session in March that 'the written test is simple, even in my opinion'. Since the 1990s, foreigners holding a valid driving licence from their home countries have been allowed to convert it to a Japanese licence with minimal testing. Photo: AFP While Japan's roads are widely regarded as safe, challenges abound for newcomers – from navigating densely populated urban streets to adjusting to left-hand driving and unfamiliar signage. And when mistakes are made, the consequences can be deadly. In January, police in Yokohama arrested a Turkish man who was driving a large truck but struck an elderly woman on a bicycle at a crossing. The 73-year-old woman was killed and the driver has been charged with her death. On Sunday, a Peruvian man was caught on security cameras driving for about 10km on the wrong side of a motorway in Mie prefecture, in central Japan. As the man's car drove into the oncoming traffic, other vehicles were forced to take evasive action, causing a number of collisions. The man reported to a police station after the incident attracted extensive media coverage. He has been charged with dangerous driving and causing damage to other vehicles. Three days earlier, a Thai man was arrested in Ibaraki prefecture, in northeast Japan, on suspicion of driving a light van under the influence of alcohol. The man had reportedly crashed into a road sign and turned over.
