Contact UsDriving with Foreign Driver's Licenses or Driving in Okinawa
If you have a driver's license issued by one of the following countries or regions: Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, Estonia, or Taiwan, you can drive in Okinawa/Japan by carrying a Japanese translation of your license. Please have the translation done by the authority which issued your license, the embassy or consulate in your home country.
Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) also offers translation service:
Click Here
For countries not listed above, such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Thailand, and South Korea, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required. The IDP is issued by countries that are members of the Geneva Convention. Since it cannot be issued within Japan, make sure to obtain it before coming to Japan.
Notes on Renting a Car:
You must have either an International Driving Permit or your own country's driver's license along with an official Japanese translation. In both cases, you will need to present your passport at the rental counter. If you use the "automated gate" at immigration, make sure to request an entry stamp (landing permission seal) from immigration personnel. Without this stamp in your passport, you will not be able to rent a car because the dates of your entry and departure cannot be confirmed. If the country issuing your International Driving Permit is different from the country issuing your passport, your travel history may be checked at the rental counter.
You need to obtain the International Driving Permit yourself from a recognized agency in the issuing country.
