Can a Japanese Driver Use a Japanese Licence in South Africa? IDP Yes, Same Side

For a Japanese traveller, South Africa is unusually easy to drive in two ways that matter — the traffic is on the left, like home, and the road signs are in English. The one thing you must not skip is the permit, precisely because your licence isn’t in a language local officials read.

The verdict: yes, but the IDP is the real requirement

You can drive in South Africa on your Japanese licence provided you carry an International Driving Permit. Unlike visitors from English-speaking countries, for whom the IDP is more of a formality, for a Japanese driver it does a real job: it translates your licence into a form police and rental staff can verify. Apply for it in Japan before you leave — it isn’t available in South Africa.

The good news: no side switch

Japan and South Africa both drive on the left. That means none of the first-day disorientation that catches drivers from right-hand-traffic countries — roundabouts circulate the way you expect, and your road position instincts already point the right way. The main novelty is the scale of the open roads rather than the side of them.

What to actually plan for: city security

The genuine risk here is carjacking in urban areas, a known problem at city junctions and traffic lights. In town, keep doors locked and windows up, leave space ahead at lights, and steer clear of unfamiliar districts after dark. The national routes linking the cities are excellent and far calmer; that’s where the trip is at its best.

The figures

Speed limits run 60 km/h in towns, 100 on rural roads and 120 on motorways — higher than the 100 km/h motorway ceiling you’re used to in Japan, so it pays not to drift over. The alcohol limit is 0.05, looser than Japan’s strict 0.03, but with frequent roadblocks the safe policy is none. A minor speeding penalty is about ZAR 500-1,250 (≈ EUR 25-65), fuel is around EUR 1.12/litre, and 112 is the emergency line.

See the full rules on our South Africa driving guide, and confirm the permit you need with the Driving Permit Checker.