Job Discussion Forums

[luckbox]

When I lived in Japan I held a Japanese drivers license for a couple of years. After leaving Japan for my home country last summer, I was forced to surrender the Japanese license to the Motor Vehicle Branch in my province in Canada in order to obtain my Canadian license.

Question: If I return to Japan to live and work, and assuming my old Japanese license still had yet to expire, is it possible to get my Japanese DL back by simply showing a photocopy to the appropriate office in the Japan and filling out the paperwork? Or will I have to go thru the process from square 1?

Thanks for your feedback.

[PAULH]

[Sweetsee]

Depends how long ago it was.

[JimDunlop2]

Hmm.. Exactly as Paul said. I'd just tell the Japanese DMV that your license was lost or destroyed. That'll eliminate a LOT of headache and stress. Especially if it hasn't expired yet.

[Sweetsee]

Exchanging a foreign license for a Japanese one is not as easy as that Paul.

1. You will have to prove 3 months residency after issuance in your home country.
2. Pass written test.
3. Pass driving test.

[JimDunlop2]

Sweetsee: I don't know how difficult it is to re-obtain a Japanese license if you've let it expire. Chances are, it probably depends on how far expired it is... But here, the OP is assuming that his JPN license hasn't expired. Why should he have to re-take a driver's exam for something he has already received the rights to?

[Sweetsee]

I agree Jim, if the license is current, no problem.

[David W]

[Sweetsee]

True, not Americans.

[Serendipity]

From what I gather, people who come from a country that drives on the same side of the road (i.e. the UK), just need three things to get a standard Japanese licence:

1. A letter translating your home licence (about 4000 yen)
2. An eye test (free on the day)
3. A whole afternoon to kill.

I haven't really used my licence much but it's so much nicer to pull it out for ID purposes than the 'ol gaijin card.

[Khyron]

Wow, lot's of bad information in this thread already... Well, Serendipity had it right, other than the 'same side of the road bit.' That part doesn't actually matter. It's more about what kind of deal the country that issued your license has with Japan.

Anyway, Lunchbox was it?

You have a Canadian drivers license. You can change it over to a J-license with only a few and an eye-test. That's what I've gathered from doing my research. The same is true for many countries. Even South Korean license holders can do this.

For the Americans, too bad for them. They get to do all of the tests.

I don't remember the government site that gives you all of the rules, but the link it easy to find over at Gaijinpot.com. Just search there. You'll find all of the relevant information.

I do have a question for myself though:

I let my Canadian license expire. Now, because that was less than a year ago, I can fax my information over to Canada and get a temporary paper license. I am wondering if I can use this temporary license in Japan, in order to swap it for a Japanese license.

If not, it's not a big deal. I'm planning to go to Canada for a couple of weeks this summer. I can just renew my license there, get my parents to mail it to me in Japan, and then show it to the Japanese driving guys here.

[Gordon]

I highly doubt the paper license will be accepted in Japan.

FYI, not all prefectures accept Cdn driver's licenses. The driving center would not take my Cdn DL here in Kagawa. I had to take the driving test like everyone else even though the 2 countries have an agreement stating otherwise. Most prefectures, however, do take the Cdn license.

[Sweetsee]

Back in the day, it was not a big deal to exchange your foreign license for a Japanese one, didn't have to even take a test, I believe. First time I did it in Fuchu I took the 10-question video test and passed the driving test on the first go, which I considered remarkable because only one other person passed in my group of about 15, and that person had taken it 7 or 8 times. If you have ever been to Fuchu or Konosu, you will know what I mean; scores of foreigners having taken it numerous times. If you go more than once you are almost sure to see some of the same people, I did. Everybody gossipping about who has taken it how many times and everyone praying they will pass. So, I did pass and I did get my Japanese license, of course I had no car, but like the previous poster said, nice when you can whip it out and also I was regularly borrowing a friend's car to go to Izu. Well, when I left Japan it got lost and that was too long ago so that now I have to take the English version of the Japanese written test. Ouch! Has anyone ever done that? And you need 90 out of 100 mind boggling questions. If anyone is interested, I have some real dingers, but I doubt it, doubt anyone is even reading this far. Paid 3000 yen for sample tests, can't even force myself to study it for more than a few minutes. Sad thing is, I have a really nice ride these days and nothing but an expired international license. Seems I have begun to develop a concience and started taking the train again, ouch. That and my partner recently learned to drive and got a license, so I can still wash my ride, maintain it, look at it and wish. Funny because when I first got it after 15 years here with no ride, I was so chuffed. Used to drive two minutes to school, with the heat blazing in the winter and the air-conditioner cranked in the summer. So, that's it. I have 400 sample questions to study. Does anyone think it is possible? Hmm, maybe I can work it into this year's curriculum, wait...that's brilliant, that's what I will do! In fact, that's all we will do until I pass, why not?
P.S. Kyhron, what was the bad information?

[gaijinalways]

I'm going tomorrow. I was told I have to take a short '1 hour' class with a quiz (no driving test ). And then just wait and trade my license. Got the translation of my licese today. Let you know how it goes!

[Sweetsee]

Good luck to you and let me know.