driving in japan with an international licence

Post by Guus Veldhuis
Hello, does anybody knows if and how long I can drive with my international
driving licence from the netherlands?

Most countries issue a license which lasts a year.

Post by Guus Veldhuis
Does anybody knows which countries are excluded to do an examination when
the time of driving with an international licence is over?

Only those with such a mutual agreement with Japan, I'd imagine.

Post by Guus Veldhuis
If I get married, does that change anything for the international driver
licence?

No.

Mike

Declan Murphy

2005-03-13 15:30:02 UTC

Post by Guus Veldhuis
Hello, does anybody knows if and how long I can drive with my international
driving licence from the netherlands?

Most countries issue a license which lasts a year.

The international driving permit doesn't "last" for a year. It is valid
for as long as the normal Dutch licence is valid for, and is only valid
if the IDP is carried with the licence from the country of origin. Once
a gaigin passes through Japanese immigration the clock starts ticking
for one year. If in continuous residence for 366 days (doesn't including
any trips abroad using a re-entry permit) you can't use the IDP in Japan
anymore and have to obtain a Japanese license. The IDP would still be
valid (providing the Dutch licence is still valid) in any 3rd country of
course.

Post by Guus Veldhuis
Does anybody knows which countries are excluded to do an examination when
the time of driving with an international licence is over?

Only those with such a mutual agreement with Japan, I'd imagine.

People with licenses from the following are not required to take a
written or road test to convert their license into a Japanese one:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Korea (not the north bit), Luxembourg,
The Netherlands (Lucky Guus!), New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

--
St. Patrick's Day Parade, Nagoya. Saturday 5th March 2005
http://www.declan.tv/saint_pats/index.html

m***@netMAPSONscape.net

2005-03-13 15:56:56 UTC

Post by Guus Veldhuis
Hello, does anybody knows if and how long I can drive with my international
driving licence from the netherlands?

Most countries issue a license which lasts a year.

The international driving permit doesn't "last" for a year. It is valid
for as long as the normal Dutch licence is valid for, and is only valid

Actually

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2022.html

seems to indicate "one year" is the common length of time such a license
is accepted in Japan.

"Foreigners, who reside in Japan for more than one year and wish to
continue to drive in Japan, must convert their driver's license into a
Japanese license by taking an eye exam, aptitude test and possibly a
practical exam."

Also
http://www.mief.or.jp/en/life/Survival%20Tips.files/car_license.html

Post by Guus Veldhuis
Does anybody knows which countries are excluded to do an examination when
the time of driving with an international licence is over?

Only those with such a mutual agreement with Japan, I'd imagine.

People with licenses from the following are not required to take a
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Korea (not the north bit), Luxembourg,
The Netherlands (Lucky Guus!), New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

Not all the above, however, can issue valid international drivers
licenses.

http://www.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en/international/drive-license/

"Convention on Road Traffic (Geneva) Member Countries

ONLY international driver's licenses from the following countries are
recognized in Japan. If you do not find your country on this list, you
cannot drive without a Japanese driver's license. See information on
obtaining a Japanese driver's license.

Albania, Algeria, Argentine, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada,
Central Africa, Chile, Congo, Cote Divoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech,
Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, Egypt, Fiji, Finland, France,
Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Korea, Kyrgyz,
Lao, Lebanon, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Mali, Malta, Monaco, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Niger, Nis, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portuguese, Romania, Rwanda, San Marino,
Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovak, South Africa, Spain,
Sri Lanka, Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, USA, Vatican, Venezuela,
Yugoslavia, Zaire."

Mike

Declan Murphy

2005-03-14 14:30:01 UTC

Post by Guus Veldhuis
Hello, does anybody knows if and how long I can drive with my international
driving licence from the netherlands?

Most countries issue a license which lasts a year.

The international driving permit doesn't "last" for a year. It is valid
for as long as the normal Dutch licence is valid for, and is only valid

Actually
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2022.html
seems to indicate "one year" is the common length of time such a license
is accepted in Japan.

Actually that is sloppy phrasing. The international driver's permit is
NOT a driving license, it has no validity independent of the actual
(foreign issued) driver's license. The international driving permit (or
license translation in the case of French, German and Swiss licence
holders) will be accepted for a maximum of 1 year in Japan, but ONLY if
his Dutch license is valid for longer than that period. Exactly as I
wrote in the bit you snipped.

Post by m***@netMAPSONscape.net
"Foreigners, who reside in Japan for more than one year and wish to
continue to drive in Japan, must convert their driver's license into a
Japanese license by taking an eye exam, aptitude test and possibly a
practical exam."

Yes.

Post by Declan Murphy
People with licenses from the following are not required to take a
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Korea (not the north bit), Luxembourg,
The Netherlands (Lucky Guus!), New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

Not all the above, however, can issue valid international drivers
licenses.

Not licenses, permits. And in the case of France, Germany and
Switzerland it makes no difference that IDPs issued by the respective
registries in those 3 countries are not recognised in Japan, because
alternative arrangements are in place that allow French, German and
Swiss license holders to drive in Japan.

Post by m***@netMAPSONscape.net
http://www.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en/international/drive-license/
"Convention on Road Traffic (Geneva) Member Countries
ONLY international driver's licenses from the following countries are
recognized in Japan. If you do not find your country on this list, you
cannot drive without a Japanese driver's license. See information on
obtaining a Japanese driver's license.
Albania, <snip>Zaire."

With no disrespect to the staff at Hiroshima University, that is wrong.
Any citizen or resident of France, Germany or Switzerland (the only
countries on the "not required to take a written or road test to convert
their license into a Japanese one" list that don't issue IDP's under the
same treaty as used by Japan actually have it pretty easy. All they need
to do is visit a consulate or embassy of Japan (as anyone planning to
stay in Japan for longer than 1 year would do in any case for visa
purposes) and show their licence to the staff. They then receive
documentation that acts perfectly well in lieu of a recognised IDP.

--
Saint Patrick's Day Parade, Nagoya. Saturday 5th March 2005
http://www.declan.tv/saint_pats/index.html

m***@netMAPSONscape.net

2005-03-14 14:45:02 UTC

Post by m***@netMAPSONscape.net
Most countries issue a license which lasts a year.

The international driving permit doesn't "last" for a year. It is valid
for as long as the normal Dutch licence is valid for, and is only valid

Actually
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2022.html
seems to indicate "one year" is the common length of time such a license
is accepted in Japan.

Actually that is sloppy phrasing. The international driver's permit is
NOT a driving license, it has no validity independent of the actual

Actually, that is standard usage of tthe language.

Sorry if that's confusing.

Post by Declan Murphy
license translation in the case of French, German and Swiss licence
holders) will be accepted for a maximum of 1 year in Japan, but ONLY if
his Dutch license is valid for longer than that period. Exactly as I
wrote in the bit you snipped.

Nope. There is no requirement for him to have a valid Dutch permit while
in Japan.

Sorry if that's confusing.

Post by m***@netMAPSONscape.net
Not all the above, however, can issue valid international drivers
licenses.

Not licenses, permits.

Licenses, again by standard usage.

Post by Declan Murphy
And in the case of France, Germany and
Switzerland it makes no difference that IDPs issued by the respective
registries in those 3 countries are not recognised in Japan, because

Actually, it does, and the procedure is different.

Post by m***@netMAPSONscape.net
ONLY international driver's licenses from the following countries are
recognized in Japan. If you do not find your country on this list, you
cannot drive without a Japanese driver's license. See information on
obtaining a Japanese driver's license.
Albania, <snip>Zaire."

With no disrespect to the staff at Hiroshima University, that is wrong.

Sorry, it is correct.

The procedure is different for those countries.

Sorry if you get too confused by this.

Mike

Scott Reynolds

2005-03-14 14:30:01 UTC

No written test?! That means they lose out on one of the high points of
the switchover process: the hilarious written test.

--
_______________________________________________________________
Scott Reynolds ***@gol.com

Scott Reynolds

2005-03-13 15:30:04 UTC

Post by Guus Veldhuis
Hello, does anybody knows if and how long I can drive with my international
driving licence from the netherlands?

Until it expires. They recently changed the law so that even if you
return to the Netherlands, obtain a valid new international driving
license, and then return to Japan, you will be considered to be driving
without a license if you fail to obtain a Japanese driver's license.

Post by Guus Veldhuis
Does anybody knows which countries are excluded to do an examination when
the time of driving with an international licence is over?

You do not need to wait for your international license to expire. Also,
everyone switching from a foreign license to a Japanese license has to
take a (very easy) written test. It is the road test that some people
are exempted from. Since the Netherlands is part of the EU, I think you
are probably exempt from the road test requirement, but you should
contact the testing center to confirm.

Post by Guus Veldhuis
If I get married, does that change anything for the international driver
licence?

No, that has nothing to do with it.

--
_______________________________________________________________
Scott Reynolds ***@gol.com

Koza

2005-03-14 03:00:02 UTC