Editorial

14:30 JST, June 22, 2025

There have been a series of accidents involving foreign drivers who cannot be said to have a sufficient understanding of Japanese traffic rules. The system should be revised so that licenses are issued after a thorough assessment of a person’s driving knowledge and skills.

The National Police Agency is considering changing the system that allows a driver’s license obtained overseas to be converted into a Japanese license, in order to make it stricter.

The system was introduced in 1933. Initially, its main purpose was to enable Japanese citizens who had obtained a driver’s license overseas to smoothly become able to drive in Japan upon their return.

Since the 1990s, the number of foreigners using the system has exceeded that of Japanese nationals. With the increase in inbound visitors to........

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