Job Discussion Forums

skunk · Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 17

A quick question. I have arrived with a valid Australian drivers license, does any one know anything about the process of obtaining a japanese license (cost, time etc).It seems like it will be a handy thing to have.

inkansai · Joined: 18 Jan 2005 Posts: 39

The process varies a little from state to state. It is really easy if you have a Queensland license.

check out this link for more details

http://www.consular.australia.or.jp/drivingjapan.html

skunk · Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 17

Inkansai, thanks for the link, now all i have to do is strat chasing up all of those random documents(no i dont have a queensland license!) If anyone else has any snippets of advice please contact me. Thanks in advance.

easyasabc · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 179 Location: Japan

I did it a couple of years ago. It was a bit of a hassle for me because I had renewed my Aust. licence whilst I was living in Japan (renewed it on a trip home to Oz) so I had to get some extra documentation but generally it's not too bad.

Going to JAF and getting the translation of the licence was pretty painless and then you just take that translation, the record from your transport authority if necessary and your pasport , gaijin card etc to the licensing office.

Unless your Japanese is good one thing you might need to do is take someone with you who speaks Japanese because if your licensing office is anything like mine they won't speak English and may very well freak out at the idea of dealing with a foreigner. From memory I think that once you get inside the licensing office the word you need for the licence changing section is "gaimen kirikai". Can anyone confirm that??