About driver's license 

When an international student drives a car in Japan, a Japanese driver's license or an international driver's license is required.

Japanese Driver's License / International Driver's License

To drive a car in Japan, you need one of the following licenses

1. Japanese driver's license 
   Period of validity : until the expiration date of that driver's license
    
2. International driver's license based on the Convention on Road Traffic (Geneva Convention) 
   International driver's license can only be used in Japan if it was issued by a country that is a member of the Geneva Convention.
   Please check the following website.
   
   ◆Countries that are signatories to the Geneva Convention:
   https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/menkyo/menkyo/kokugai/kokugai04.html 
   ◆Valid international driver's license form: 
   https://www.npa.go.jp/policies/application/license_renewal/pdf/20250908idp.pdf
   
   Period of validity: The shorter of the following (1) or (2)
   (1) Within 1 year after landing in Japan
   (2) Within 1 year from the issuance of an international or foreign driver's license
    
3. A license from a country or region whose licensing system is recognized as being of a level equivalent to that of Japan
   (+ Japanese translation required) 
   The following countries are currently eligible.
   ・Switzerland 
   ・Germany 
   ・France 
   ・Belgium 
   ・Monaco 
   ・Taiwan 
   * Japanese translation must be translated by a person specified by a Cabinet Order.
   (e.g., the organization issuing the license, the embassy or consulate in Japan of the country, JAF, etc.)
   
   Period of validity: The shorter of the following (1) or (2)
   (1) Within 1 year after landing in Japan
   (2) Within 1 year from the issuance of an international or foreign driver's license

🚨 [Important!] International Driver's License Validity If you have lived in Japan for more than ONE year, you canNOT drive using an international driver's license. Even if your international driver's license is still valid, it becomes invalid once one year has passed since you arrived in Japan.   If you have lived in Japan for more than ONE year, even if you obtain a new international driver's license during a temporary return to your home country (a trip abroad lasting less than three months), you canNOT use it in Japan. This is because you have already exceeded the requirement that you must have been in Japan for less than one year.

👉For more information, please check the following websites

🔗National Police Agency: https://www.npa.go.jp/policies/application/license_renewal/have_DL_issed_another_country.html

🔗Foreign Driver's Licenses and International Driving Permits:
https://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/menkyo/menkyo/kokugai/index.html
 

How to convert a Foreign driver's license to a Japanese driver's license 

If none of the above applies to you, there is a way to convert your foreign driver's license to a Japanese driver's license.
This is called a "Gaimen-Kirikae”（Foreign Driver's License Switchover）.
Please refer to the following website for the conditions and required documents for the "Gaimen-Kirikae”.

 🔗Tottori Prefectural Police: https://www.pref.tottori.lg.jp/dd.aspx?menuid=34987

🗣️ For those who cannot speak or write Japanese:

When you go to complete administrative procedures, please be sure to bring someone who can interpret for you.
If there is no one around who can interpret for you, please consult the Tottori International Foundation’s volunteer interpreters.

🔗 Tottori International Foundation: https://www.torisakyu.or.jp/en/2/oh-no/volunteer-interpreters/

❓ If you are unsure whether your driver’s license is valid in Japan:

Please check with the Driver’s License Center in advance.

🔗 Driver’s License Centers in Tottori Prefecture: https://www.pref.tottori.lg.jp/dd.aspx?menuid=34797
 

🚨Driving without a license is a ”CRIME"! Driving without a valid driver's license is considered “driving without a license” and is a crime. “I didn't know” or “I misunderstood” are not acceptable excuses. You will be imprisoned for up to 3 years or fined up to 500,000 yen. You may also be subject to deportation (expulsion from the country). Furthermore, this will have a significant impact on the renewal or change of your status of residence. Lending your car to someone without a valid license is also a crime. It carries extremely severe penalties, nearly equivalent to those for driving without a license. The university will NOT provide any support for problems related to driving (unlicensed driving, accidents, violations, etc.). You are solely responsible for your own actions.

About Automobile Insurance

Tottori University requires international students to have both “Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance (Jibaiseki Hoken)” and “Voluntary insurance (Nin-i Hoken)” if you drive a car or motorcycle in Japan.

This is necessary to protect yourself from financial losses resulting from a serious accident.

If you do not have at least one of these types of insurance, DO NOT drive a car or motorcycle.

Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance (Jibaiseki Hoken) 

Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance is a type of insurance required by law for all cars and motorcycles.

Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance is the “minimum” coverage provided to compensate “accident victims (the other party's injuries or death),” and it does not cover the following expenses:

• Repair costs for the other party's vehicle or property
• Medical expenses for your own injuries or those of your passengers
• Repair costs for your own car or motorcycle

Therefore, Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance alone is not sufficient to fully cover the costs associated with an accident.

Voluntary insurance (Nin-i Hoken)

This insurance covers the portion not covered by Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance.

In Japan, most people who drive cars or motorcycles have voluntary insurance.

If you cause an accident without voluntary insurance, you face the following significant risks:

1. You may be required to pay substantial compensation,
   If you cause the death of another person or inflict severe permanent disabilities in an accident, you may be ordered to pay damages ranging from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of yen.
   Furthermore, Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance does not cover damage to the other party’s vehicle or injuries sustained by you or your passengers.
   
   You will have to continue paying the shortfall for the rest of your life, using your future salary or your family’s savings.
   This will have a major impact on your life and your family’s livelihood.
    
2. You will have to handle all post-accident procedures on your own.
   If you have voluntary insurance, the insurance company will assist you with post-accident procedures and negotiations with the other party (settlement negotiations) when an accident occurs.
   However, if you do not have Voluntary insurance, you will have to handle all of these matters on your own.
   
   The other party involved in the accident may become very angry and insist that you pay a large sum of compensation immediately.
   In such situations, they often use a lot of complex legal and insurance terminology.
   Even for those who are fluent in Japanese, dealing with this situation is likely to be very difficult.
   In this case as well, Tottori university provides absolutely NO SUPPORT.
   Since this involves resolving disputes, even the volunteer interpreters from the Tottori International Foundation cannot assist.

Differences in Coverage Between Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance and Voluntary Insurance

Scope of Coverage	Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance	Voluntary Insurance
Injury or death of the other party	△ (Limit: up to 40 million yen)	〇
The other party's vehicle or property	× (Not covered)	〇
Injury to yourself or passengers	× (Not covered)	〇
Your own vehicle	× (Not covered)	〇

*Please note that the coverage provided by voluntary insurance varies depending on the policy.
Please carefully review the terms of your policy.

An example of an actual expensive accident 

A major accident can pay hundreds of millions of yen.

Details	Amount paid
41-year-old doctor killed in accident	Approximately 528 million yen
21-year-old college student suffered serious injuries (resulting in permanent disability)	Approximately 397 million yen
29-year-old office worker suffered serious injuries (resulting in permanent disability)	Approximately 382 million yen
14-year-old middle school student suffered serious injuries (resulting in permanent disability)	Approximately 365 million yen

⚠️ If you don't have voluntary insurance, you will have to pay these large amounts yourself!

Even if you think, “I drive safely, so I’ll be fine,” accidents can still happen due to another person’s carelessness or unforeseen circumstances.

Even if a pedestrian suddenly darts out into the street, the driver of the vehicle is likely to bear a greater share of the fault and may be held liable for damages.

Accidents happen in an instant, but their effects can last for years or even decades.

Instead of thinking, “I won’t cause an accident,” ask yourself, “If an accident happened today, would I be able to bear the responsibility for it?”

🚗The same applies to rental cars and friends' cars.

Even if you don't usually drive, be sure to purchase Voluntary insurance whenever you drive a rental car or a friend's car.

You can easily purchase Voluntary insurance on a daily basis through rental car companies or online.

Car ownership

If you own a car, you must apply for a garage certificate.

For details, please check the following website.

🔗Tottori Prefectural Police: https://www.pref.tottori.lg.jp/dd.aspx?menuid=36768

Bicycle Traffic Rules

In Japan, bicycles are classified as “light vehicles” (a category of motor vehicles).

If you break the rules, you will be stopped by the police and face a hefty fine.

1. As a general rule, ride on the left side of the road (pedestrians have the right of way on sidewalks)
2. No “distracted riding” (riding while looking at a smartphone, wearing headphones, or holding an umbrella is prohibited)
3. Always turn on your lights at night
4. Driving under the influence of alcohol is strictly prohibited (it is a serious crime)
5. Wear a helmet (Under safety effort obligations)

For detailed bicycle traffic rules, please refer to 🔗this link.