Driving abroad
Driving in Japan: left side, but bring the right permit
Japan drives on the left and its roads are very safe, but your UK licence must be paired with a 1949 International Driving Permit. Without one, hire firms won't give you a car.
- Very safe roads
- Generally safe
- Take care
- High risk
Japan is ideal for UK drivers outside the cities: careful drivers, tidy roads, and signs in English. Expressways are tolled, so ask for an ETC card with your hire car. Hokkaido and Okinawa are the classic self-drive trips.
Where driving differs
- Tokyo, Osaka, KyotoTake care
Dense traffic and costly parking. Take trains.
- HokkaidoVery safe roads
Open roads in summer. Snow and ice in winter.
- OkinawaVery safe roads
Easy island driving, low speed limits.
Licence first
UK drivers need an International Driving Permit (the 1949 type, sold at many Post Offices) as well as their UK licence. Hire firms will turn you away without it. Japan drives on the left, like the UK, so the hardest bits are reading the speed signs in km/h and the narrow lanes in old towns.
Road habits
- Stop fully at railway crossings, look both ways, then go. It's the law.
- Red lights mean stop, with no turning on red.
- Zero tolerance on drink-driving. Passengers who let a drunk driver drive can be fined too.
- Car parks are tight. Many city hotels charge for parking, so check before you book.
Before you go
- Japan has zero tolerance for drink-driving, and passengers can be prosecuted too.
- Emergency number: 110 (police), 119 (ambulance).
Official advice: FCDO road safety advice for Japan
Stay and do
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