Foreigner Traffic Accidents Hit a 10-Year High! Was the Lax "Foreign License Conversion" Tightened... But Are There Still Problems?

As the number of foreign residents and inbound tourists reaches an all-time high, traffic accidents involving foreign drivers in 2025 recorded the "highest number" in the past decade. Amidst this, the "foreign license conversion procedure," which had a very low hurdle, has been tightened. While a reduction in accidents is expected, some issues remain. I would like to explain the circumstances.

Traffic Accidents Involving Foreign Drivers Increase by 2,500 Cases in 5 Years, Including Fatal Motorcycle Accidents

On June 12th, the government announced the 2025 edition of the "White Paper on Traffic Safety." According to this, the number of traffic accident fatalities in 2025 was 2,547, the lowest since statistics began. On the other hand, there is also data that cannot be overlooked: traffic accidents involving foreign drivers reached an "all-time high" in the past 10 years.

The number of foreign residents and inbound tourists has been setting new records, and the number of foreigners holding Japanese driver's licenses also reached a record high of approximately 1.25 million (as of the end of 2024). Consequently, traffic accidents involving foreigners are increasing. In 2020, there were 5,441 cases, but this gradually increased, reaching 7,906 cases in 2025, the highest in the past 10 years (an increase of about 45%).

The proportion of accidents involving foreign drivers within all traffic accidents is also on the rise. After remaining in the 1% range for many years, it doubled to approximately 2.8% in 2025. There are also a certain number of cases involving unlicensed drivers or drunk driving, who do not possess valid Japanese or international licenses. It is still fresh in our memory that in May 2025, a driver of foreign nationality caused a hit-and-run accident involving four elementary school students while driving under the influence in Misato City, Saitama Prefecture, and was arrested again in June 2026 for driving without a license.

Furthermore, numerous serious accidents have occurred due to unfamiliar driving in tourist areas and around major cities. To cite an example related to motorcycles, in March 2025, in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, a rental car driven by a foreign tourist collided with a motorcycle traveling straight in the oncoming lane while attempting to turn right. The rider was left in critical condition.

Additionally, in September 2024, in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, an area with a large foreign resident population, an 18-year-old Turkish national, driving without a license, ran a red light at 95 km/h. This resulted in a hit-and-run accident that injured two men on a moped.

Thus, in addition to the increase in the number of accidents, serious incidents caused by the disregard of traffic rules by some foreign drivers have become a social issue. Needless to say, riders, whose bodies are exposed while riding, are in a vulnerable position in accidents. Cars that do not follow the rules are extremely dangerous, and this is a cause for concern.

Trend of traffic accidents involving foreign drivers (excerpt from the 2025 White Paper on Traffic Safety). After the COVID-19 pandemic-related entry restrictions, there has been a significant increase since the resumption of inbound tourism in 2022 (Reiwa 4), with 2025 (Reiwa 8) marking the highest in the past 10 years. This is also an increase of over 1,000 cases compared to a decade ago.

This is a statistic focusing on fatal and serious injury accidents (excerpt from National Police Agency data, same below). The proportion of fatal and serious injury accidents involving foreigners has doubled compared to 10 years ago, and 2025 was the second highest on record, following the worst year of 2006.

Fatal and serious injury accidents involving foreign drivers by nationality. Asian countries and Brazil account for 70%.

The majority of those involved in accidents are "holders of Japanese driver's licenses." This includes cases where foreign licenses were converted to Japanese licenses, as well as cases where licenses were obtained in Japan.

Accidents involving foreign drivers are characterized by a higher incidence of "intersection collisions" and "right-turn-across-oncoming-traffic" compared to Japanese drivers. This reflects differences in traffic methods and traffic cultures of different countries.

The Lenient "Foreign License Conversion" Has Been Tightened, with the Pass Rate for the Knowledge Test Plummeting from 92% to 42%!

One of the reasons for the frequent accidents is the leniency of the foreign license conversion procedure (Gaimen Kirikae) for foreign drivers. The knowledge confirmation (written test) was very easy, with "10 multiple-choice questions with illustrations, and passing if 7 or more were answered correctly." There was also a skills confirmation (driving test), but the standards were also more lenient than the usual one-shot test taken at driver's license centers.

In many countries abroad, obtaining a driver's license is easier than in Japan, and Japan has its own unique traffic rules. Despite this, drivers were being allowed to drive in Japan with almost no scrutiny.

— However, the examination for foreign license conversion was finally tightened starting from October 2025.

The test has been significantly toughened, with "50 written questions" and a passing requirement of over 90% correct answers. The content also requires an accurate understanding of Japan's detailed traffic rules (such as the priority of right turns and traffic signs).

Furthermore, the practical skills examination has also been made stricter. In addition to the conventional confirmation of basic driving operations, items such as "pedestrian priority at crosswalks," "stopping at stop signs," "checking for blind spots when changing lanes," "lane change procedures when turning right or left," "railroad crossings," and "starting on a hill" have been added.

Another significant change is that short-term visitors, such as tourists, can no longer convert their foreign licenses. Previously, it was possible to easily convert a foreign license by using a hotel address, but now proof of residence is required. Foreign tourists who do not have a real place of residence can no longer convert their licenses, and those who take the test without properly learning Japanese rules are now excluded by the system.

According to data released by the National Police Agency immediately after the tightening (October-December 2025), the pass rates have significantly decreased as follows:

◎ Knowledge Confirmation (Written Test): 92.5% (2024) → 42.8%
◎ Skills Confirmation (Driving Test): 30.4% (2024) → 13.1%

This is a sharp drop to less than half. In some regions and testing centers, the standards are even stricter, with reports of the pass rate for the driving test dropping to as low as 1%. Conversely, this means that before October 2025, more than twice as many drivers who did not meet the current standards were passing.

The driving test for motorcycle licenses (regular and large) has also been tightened. The pass rate is a combined figure for both two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles, and data for motorcycles alone has not been released. However, unlike four-wheeled vehicles, motorcycles have items that can lead to immediate disqualification, and the pass rate for the regular one-shot test is lower than for four-wheeled vehicles. This is likely to be the same for foreign license conversions. *Photo is for illustrative purposes.

A pamphlet from the National Police Agency explaining basic Japanese traffic rules and road signs. It explains Japanese rules in various languages, such as "Keep left," "Do not enter the oncoming lane when turning right or left," "The stop sign is a red octagon in the UN Road Signs, but a red inverted triangle in Japan," and "You cannot turn right or left at a red light (unless a blue arrow signal is displayed)."

Those Who Passed Before the Change Can Continue to Maintain and Renew Their Japanese Licenses

While the tightening of standards is welcome, it is questionable whether those who obtained their licenses through foreign license conversion have reached the same level of proficiency as Japanese drivers, who pay high tuition fees and undergo extensive training to obtain their licenses.

Furthermore, there is the issue of drivers who obtained their licenses under the previous low hurdle continuing to drive.

Even for those who have converted their foreign licenses, the renewal procedure is every 3 to 5 years, similar to Japanese driver's licenses. During the renewal process, there are no tests to reconfirm legal knowledge or driving skills; only aptitude tests such as vision checks and mandatory lectures (e.g., video viewing) according to the license category are required.

In other words, drivers who may not fully understand Japanese traffic rules or may have inferior driving skills can continue to maintain and renew their Japanese licenses through a simple renewal process, without undergoing any checks based on the current tightened standards.

The National Police Agency has announced that it will promote traffic safety education for foreign drivers, but this could negate the effects of the legal revisions. It is necessary to introduce a mechanism to ensure safety during license renewal.

Incidentally, the recent tightening has also brought about changes in driving schools. As it has become more difficult to pass the one-shot test at license centers, there has been a surge in foreigners seeking test preparation at designated driving schools across the country. Driving schools in Kagawa and Chiba prefectures, among others, have seen a nearly 1.5-fold increase in foreign student enrollment, and some schools have introduced specialized courses for foreign license conversion driving test preparation. This has created new business opportunities for driving schools.

Some people prepare at designated driving schools before converting their foreign licenses, while others graduate from driving schools and proceed through the same process as for regular Japanese licenses. *Photo is for illustrative purposes.

1.23 Million People Expected to Enter Japan by the End of Fiscal Year 2028? We Hope They Will Strictly Observe Japanese Traffic Rules

The government has clearly stated its policy to significantly expand the acceptance of "foreign workers" to address the severe labor shortage. The cabinet has decided on a target of accepting a total of 1.23 million foreign workers by the end of fiscal year 2028, which is the largest scale ever.

It is certain that the number of foreigners converting their foreign licenses will increase in the future. While the reduction in the risk of passing with insufficient knowledge or skills due to the tightening is commendable, questions remain about whether the standards are truly adequate and whether a mechanism to check drivers who converted their licenses before the tightening is necessary.

Of course, not all foreign drivers are problematic; only a portion of them drive recklessly. We hope that the number of excellent foreign drivers will increase in the future and that accidents involving foreign drivers, which have reached an all-time high, will be reduced even by one case. At the same time, we hope that those who will convert their foreign licenses in the future will thoroughly learn Japanese rules and become drivers who do not cause accidents or violations.

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