A guide to Japanese traffic rules
and how to drive in Japan

～Drive safely during your travels in Japan～

If you reserved your rental car in an office near an airport,

in most cases, you can get on a shuttle bus to the office. After that, you check in and leave the office with your rental car. If you know the shuttle bus stop position at the airport, before you arrive, you get on the bus as soon as possible.

If you reserved your rental car in an office near an station or others,

If you are collecting your car from an office, whether by shuttle bus or directly, make sure you know where the office is in advance to avoid getting lost.

If your airplane is delayed,

you need to contact the rental car office as soon as you know about the delay. If you do not contact the rental car office, you may not be able to rent a car, as they may cancel the booking thinking you are not coming. For these reasons, you need to know the office telephone number in advance.

How to start an engine

There are two types of ignition push-button ignition start and key ignition start. Nowadays, many rental cars have push-button ignition start. For key ignition start, insert the key into ignition on the right bottom of the steering wheel. But for push-button ignition start, the buttons are placed differently in different cars so you need to ask the rental car staff where the buttons is. Also, be aware that if you only push the button, the engine will not start because you also need to step on the brake.

Know the car interior facilities

After getting in the car, you need to know the car interior facilities, such as the position of indicators and windscreen wipers, and how to adjust the rear view mirror and wing mirrors before departing.

Which side is the gas cap? How do I open the gas cap?

Also, there is a cover on the gas cap. If you want to open the cover, pull a lever under the driver's seat in many cases.

About a child seat

If a child under 6 years old gets in a car in Japan, the child is required to be in a child seat. There are three types of child seats, so get the right size for the child.

Before getting accustomed Japanese roads, you drive deliberately.

Traffic signs

Follow the traffic signs for the safe driving in Japan. Most importantly, you need to check the maximum speed sign. If you enjoy travelling in Japan, you may drive faster than usual. Please be aware of the maximum speed.

The highway entrance has two types, a general lane and an ETC dedicated lane.

In Japan, you can pay highway charges by cash, credit card, and ETC card. The entrance differs depending on the method of payment. Please be aware of this.

A lane, in which you can pay by cash, credit card or ETC card,

Except for 「ETC専用」and「一般」lane, there is an 「ETC/一般」 lane in some cases. If that is the case, you can pass it regardless of your payment type. If you pay by ETC card, you do not have to stop. But you have to take a traffic pass, if you pay by cash or credit card.

Highway driving lanes

There are driving lanes and passing lanes. Make sure you follow the rule. The left end of the road is a driving lane the other is a passing lanes.If you pass in front of a car, you can change into the passing lane and then pass the car. After doing so, change into the driving lane as soon as possible. If you do not change into the driving lane, you may be fined.

Use a coin parking lot.

Many shops have parking lots, but there may not be any parking lots in the center of the city in many cases. In this situation, use a coin parking lot. In Japan, on-street parking is prohibited on many roads and police strictly control it. If there are the traffic signs below, please do not park on the road.

In Japan, it is usual to back the car into the parking spot.

Please be aware of traffic signs as "No Entry for Vehicles" and "Follow the Directions"

While you drive a car, you often see the traffic signs below. Please remember these. If you enter the road having the traffic sign, "No Entry for Vehicles", it is very dangerous and you may possibly hit a car coming towards you. Also if the traffic sign, "Follow the Directions", stands on a road, you must follow the direction.

Drive very carefully on a road if it is snowing and raining.

You need to put a full tank of gas when you return your car. For this reason, use a gas station near the rental car office. With some rental car companies you have to go to dedicated gas stations. If that is the case, put gas in at the gas station.

Full service type and self service type

There are two types of Japanese gas stations, full service type and self service type.Full service type gas station is where staff put gas in your car.Self service type gas station is where you put gas in your car by yourself.

Please be aware of gasoline types.

At the gas station, there are regular gasoline and high-octane gasoline. Many rental cars use regular gasoline, but sometimes they do not. So please confirm gasoline type when you collect your rental car.

You should leave enough time to return your rental car as there may be road congestion. Also in many cases the office closes so you cannot return your car. Please be aware of the opening times.

You want to return your car earlier than planned

If want to return your car earlier than planned, it is recommended that you contact the rental car office as soon as possible. If you return your car earlier, a rental car company will refund you. The amount of money depends on rental car companies, so follow their guidelines.

If you return your car later than planned,

Be aware of lost properties

Many people leave their belongings in rental cars. Be aware of small things, because they fall into places which are hard to see. When you return your rental car, please check your belongings carefully.

The data from Budget Rent a Car, 60% of accidents is when driving cars, 30% is when at parking lots, 10% is others. Considering the danger, there are many accidents at the parking lots regardless of slow speed. There is a cause when the accident occurs. We will tell you about points below. Please understand deeply and enjoy safe driving in Japan.

How do accidents occur?

There are 2 patterns of the causes of accidents when analyzing the accidents.

This time, we focus on ②, because the percentage of accident ② is higher. Also if we understand the important point, we can prevent these accidents.

It is thought that few of accident occurs at parking lots due to slow driving. However, 30% of foreign visitors to Japan cause car accidents at parking lots. This is because there are a lot of cars, people, and blind spots at parking lots, so drivers pay less attention than usual. Be aware of this regardless of slow driving.

Case ①

Cause: When a driver backs the car, he or she hits a parked car

Solution: When you back the car, the area within your view is narrow. In a right-hand drive car, the blind area is on your left rear side, so be aware of this. If there is a passenger, please ask him or her to get off the car and lead the car properly. Also, when you back the car, you drive very slowly and carefully.

Case ②

Cause: After parking a car and opening its door, hit the door next to a car or person.

Solution: When you get out the car, please be careful for your surrounding and opening its door. Also many passengers cause this accident rather than drivers. Please ask a passenger to be careful in case the door opens for pulling and carrying baggage or the door opens more widely due to strong wind.

40% of accidents occur while driving and more than half of accidents occur when a driver hits or collides with the car in front of his or her car with lack of care. While driving, please drive safely with care regardless of a lot of distractions, such as other cars, surrounding people and things.

Case ①

Cause: A driver could not stop the car at intersection when signal is red. The driver collided with the car in front.

Solution: In Japan, when the signal turns yellow, many cars slow down. If you cross the intersection in hurry, you are not aware of car slowing down in front of you and collide with the car. Please be aware of your speed and the distance between cars. You should take the distance as many as your speed. For example, if you drive at 40km/h, you should take the distance as many as 40km/h.

Case ②

Cause: The car slipped and hit a guardrail due to snowing or icy roads.

Solution: Please drive with studless tires when the winter season and areas are with snow. Roads get slippery due to snow, so you have to grip your steering and drive more slowly than usual. Also visibility gets worse when it is snowing. You have to take the long distance between cars, care for surroundings, and drive with safety.

Case ③

Cause: After a driver made the mistake with a right turn lane, he or she changes the right lane then his car hit the following car.

Solution: Going straight from a right turn lane is prohibited as a traffic law violation. If you enter a right turn lane, please turn right or make a U‐turn without going straight. Then you go back to the original road. What is more, a driving lane is reverse in your county. Drive very carefully unless you are accustomed to driving.

There are other accidents occurring other than in the parking lots and driving. Accidents occur by a lack of care, so you can prevent accidents if you take care.

Case ①

Cause: A driver made the mistake of putting diesel fuel into his car, not regular gasoline. Its engine does not start.

Solution: Before leaving the office with the rental car, please ask an office staff member which type of gasoline you have to put in. Also, the display method of gasoline and the nozzle color may be different from your country. If you are worried about this, use a full service gas station or ask a staff.

Case ②

Cause: Because Interior light turns on during parking, the battery gets dead.

Solution: If you pick up your baggage at night, you sometimes turn on the interior light. After doing so, please turn off the light or check that the light is off. What is more, in some case, interior light automatically turns off. Please use this.

☆In the morning, the highest number of accidents are at 11 o'clock, while at night, at 20 o'clock.
From 10am -11am, visitors to Japan often rent a rental car after arriving at airport. For this, the number of car accidents increases due to drivers getting used to driving. Also, many accidents at 20 o'clock are supposed to be caused by rental car offices closing from 20 -21 o'clock. Do not return your rental car in hurry, because this may lead to accidents.

☆Top1: January, Top2: November, Top3: February
There are a lot of visitors to Japan in January and February especially from Asia, such as Taiwanese Spring Festival and Korean Lunar New Year. As a result, accidents increase.

☆Top1: Friday, Top2: Saturday, Top3:Sunday
Because the number Foreign visitors renting a car in Japan increases in 3 consecutive days, from Friday to Sunday, the number of accidents increases. Also there is more road congestion during these three days increasing number of cars. Please be careful to avoid collisions.

In Japan, cars keep to the left. For this, from parking lots and when turning right or left, please drive on the road after checking the right lane.

In Japanese traffic rules, pedestrians have priority. For example, if there are not any signals at an intersection, the pedestrian has priority. If you meet the situation, please stop the car.

If you drive a rental car in areas where it snows, you should reserve a car with tire studs. The snowy road is very slippery so you cannot drive a car with normal tires. Even though the car has suitable tires, sometimes you cannot control the steering and the brake. Please grip the steering tightly. Also, if it snows and rains, visibility gets poor.

In Japan, there are three colors at a signal. If a signal turns blue, you can go. If a signal turns yellow and red, you have to stop. Yellow and red are the same meaning but yellow also tells that, please go, if you cannot stop safely. Red tells that you must stop. Please be aware of your speed.

As exceptions below

You can go even if a signal turns yellow and red.

Some traffic signs are improved for foreigners in Japan.

Stop and Slow Down

Stop sign is written with "STOP" under Japanese, while Slow Down sign with "SLOW".

Numbering highways and toll roads

The road numbers, which do not depend on local places, are introduced. For this, even if foreign visitors to Japan do not understand Japanese, the Japanese guide them by the numbers to proper roads.

please be calm and deal with it.

①Help a person who is injured.

If there is an injured person, please first help him or her. Please stop your car at a safe place, such as a road shoulder, call an ambulance on 119 if necessary, and give him or her first aid as much as possible.

②Call a police on 110 at the accident place

After helping an injured person, call the police on 110 and tell them about the car accident. Sometimes police cannot understand foreign language, please remember the simple Japanese. Recently, as the number of foreign visitors to Japan has increased, the number of police stations managing foreign languages has increases. However, you do not have to be worried in emergency if you confirm these police stations.

③Call the rental car office, where you left.

After calling the police station, call the rental car office, where you left, or a designated helpdesk or insurance company.

Some people imagine a large accident when they hear the word accident. However, if a car is slightly scratched or dented by guardrails, this small event is also an accident. If you do not call a police station or insurance company, the insurance does not apply for car repair cost. You have to pay for it. Also calling a police station is mandatory, so you may be fined if you do not do so. Please call a police station and rental car company even about the accident to prevent from any other troubles.

Cases, drivers do not call them

• 

  ①The car is scratched slightly

• 

  ②When a door opens, the door hits and damages a next car.

• 

  ③Even though your car hits another car, there is not any damage.

Call the rental car company

While you feel the car fault during driving and defect, call the rental car company as soon as possible. If you forcibly drive, it may lead to be a breakdown or accident. Please tell the rental car company about your situation in detail, and follow their guide.

If you lose your properties in the rental car,

please call the rental car company after returning your car.Sometimes rental car companies do not sent them by post. Please confirm whether there is anything left in the car when you return it.