Can a British Driver Drive in Japan? — IDP Required, but You Keep Left

Driving in Japan as a UK tourist is easier than in most long-haul countries for one reason: Japan keeps left, so your road position, junction habits and overtaking side all carry over. It is harder in another way. Japan is stricter about documents than almost anywhere, and the Foreign Office warns that you could be arrested and fined for driving without the right ones. In the car you need three things: the 1949 International Driving Permit, your UK photocard licence and your insurance documents. The permit is sold only in the UK, so it has to be in your bag before you fly.

If you were hoping to drive there from Britain, there is no road route: Japan has no land border, and any overland trip would end on a ferry after a long chain of foreign permits. In practice, you fly and hire.

Getting the permit right first time

The National Police Agency says Japan recognises only permits issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention. That rules out the 1968 version many Britons now buy for Europe, so check the cover before you leave the counter. The NPA’s Q&A adds:

• police accept the original paper, not a scan or a photo on your phone
• you may drive only categories that carry a stamp, so box B must be stamped for a car

The FCDO says the permit works in Japan for one year, whatever expiry date is printed on it. Staying longer means applying for a Japanese licence.

The hire desk and insurance

The FCDO notes that hire firms often set stricter rules than the law, such as a year of driving experience and a minimum age. It also explains Japan’s two layers of motor insurance: compulsory cover (jibaisekihoken) and voluntary cover (nin’i no jidoshahoken). The compulsory layer on its own may not be enough if you are found personally liable. Ask whether your rental includes the voluntary policy.

Japan in mph

Japanese signs use km/h. The figures, with a British driver’s yardstick beside them:

Lower limits are signed on many roads. Even the fastest Japanese expressway is slower than a UK motorway, and the gap between 70 mph at home and 62 mph here is exactly the kind of overshoot cameras catch.

Fines are fixed, until they are not

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police table for an ordinary car:

• under 15 km/h over: JPY 9,000
• 15-20 km/h over: JPY 12,000
• 20-25 km/h over: JPY 15,000
• 25-30 km/h over: JPY 18,000

Past 30 km/h over on an ordinary road, or 40 over on an expressway, the fixed system stops and the case becomes criminal. Holding a phone while driving is JPY 18,000.

Hazards the FCDO flags

Roads are well maintained. The risks come from people:

• pedestrians crossing on green, especially where you are turning at a junction
• cyclists riding on the wrong side of the road, often without lights at night
• other drivers braking suddenly

The first one matters most for British drivers. When you turn left on a green light, pedestrians may also have a green, and they have priority.

A third of the UK limit

The WHO lists Japan’s limit as 0.03%. The FCDO calls it about a third of the UK limit: England, Wales and Northern Ireland use 0.08%, Scotland 0.05%. Over the limit you face a fine and possibly prison, and the law reaches further than at home: a passenger can be arrested if police believe they knew the driver had been drinking. Treat every driving day as dry.

Emergency numbers

Dial 110 for police and 119 for fire or ambulance. The 999 you know will not connect. Check other countries on your route with the Driving Permit Checker, read the Japan driving guide, and see limits on the Speed Limit Map.

Sources

• National Police Agency, Q&A for international driving permit holders (Geneva Convention only, original paper, category stamps): npa.go.jp
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Japan travel advice, safety and security (1949 IDP, licence and insurance papers, arrest risk, one year, buy in the UK, hire-firm rules, insurance types, alcohol, driving standards): gov.uk
• Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, traffic offence fines (ordinary car speeding bands JPY 9,000 to 18,000; phone JPY 18,000): keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Japan profile (0.03 g/dl; 60/100 km/h): who.int
• UN Treaty Collection, 1949 Convention on Road Traffic (Japan acceded 1964): treaties.un.org