I recently changed my Washington State driver’s license over to a Japanese driver’s license at the Kanagawa Driver’s Licensing Center in Futagawa, Yokohoma. And let me tell you what a tedious process it was. First you have to have your driver’s license translated at Japan Automobile Federation.
Then when you make your first visit you bring 1) your license and the translation, 2) Alien resident card, 3) all of your passports (including any expired ones), 4) proof of having driven in your home country more than 90 days (more on this later-because this was a problem)-I had my complete driving record form Washington State, 5) one passport size photo.
First of all I had the wrong information. I thought it was open from 8:30-4 with a lunch break, so I went after 1:30 and found out you can only submit document between 8:30-9:00 and then from 1:00-1:30.
The next time I went, I found out that I had to bring my old expired passport and that my Washington State driving record didn’t count because it listed only my most current license, which is valid from 12-28-2005 until 03-18-2011. There’s nothing about driving from1985 till 2005, so it wasn’t acceptable. Luckily I had 3 or 4 expired licenses that I had been carrying around with me while in Japan. I brought these the next time I visited.
After my paperwork was processed I took a simple writing test with 10 questions in English. You are allowed to miss 3of the 10, I missed 2. Then they give you a driving test date if you are American, South American, Sri Lankan, or Indian (at least these were the others that had the take the test with me). Canadians, Europeans, Australians, and Brits don’t have to take the driving test for some reason. I can understand those from countries who drive on the left, but why Canadians? They drive on the right like we do.
Anyway, the test was the following week on a Tuesday at 8:30am (did I mention it was more than an hour round trip from my house?) Only 2 people in the two groups passed the test that day there were people that were on their 3rd or 4th try. I had heard via the Internet that you could take a practice session on Saturday for 8000 yen to learn the secrets to pass the test. One guy who took thee hours worth still failed because he didn’t check over his shoulder enough during the course. I failed because I hit a curb and made some other mistakes as well like not making turns tight enough. The guy who drove before me did the Sunday course after failing his first test and recommended it as the only way of being able to pass it. I was tired of making the trip out there so I signed up for it.
The following Sunday I paid to rent one of their cars and an instructor drove with me giving me pointers how to driver the course, then showed me how to do it herself, and then I drove it one more time. There are a couple of spots where you are not supposed to go over 10 km an hour and need to stay left on wide road 1 m away form the curb-typical anal Japanese "yarikata" (way of doing things) BS. 22 years of driving doesn’t count a lick here.
The next day I took the test the evaluator didn’t give me any advice this time and I passed. I guess they can see on the application sheet you took the course and are probably more inclined to pass you. I still only got an 80/100 and have no idea what they think I did wrong.
Well, at least I don’t have to go there again until I need to renew my license in less than three years.
I ride my bicycle to the office everyday. It's about 40 minutes one way. I go from the Ebisu area on up through to near Ikebukuro. Not a day goes by where I don't want to kill a clueless taxi driver or delivery driver or driver of an illegally parked car (of which there are so many). Drivers in this city are just flat-out incompetent - and it doesn't seem to phase anyone.
I have heard horror stories about the difficulties in passing the driving test before - which I guess explains why the average Japanese has no qualms about buying a pass by paying 300,000 yen to go through the Koyama Driving School or some other equally over-priced course. But in spite of such a rigorous procedure it ensures nothing as far as safety when the average person behind the wheel is completely braindead, careless, and seemingly asleep.
Posted by: Captain | February 28, 2008 at 11:03 AM
look at the American embassy website and you can read about why Canadians don't have to do the test.
when you renew you may be able to go to a police station to do it.
I am going to renew next month at a Sagamihara police station.
The other places are in Odawara, Ebina, and Kawasaki.
Posted by: Brooks | May 22, 2008 at 03:55 PM