Driving schools change gears to attract customers

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societymike at 09:26 AM JST - 27th October

GW at 03:02 PM JST - 26th October societymike, were abouts do you drive in Jpn? I am Chiba/Kanto

Tokyo 7yrs. Okinawa 4yrs. I had bad experience driving in UK, but Europe was FAR worse. I will still take Japan drivers over Europe or US drivers. Driving in other asian countries is taking your life in your hands. I'm currently in Korea and it's kill or be killed.
GW at 09:59 AM JST - 27th October

my driving before Jpn was in Cda & was back home a few months back & it seemed better than Jpn although there have been problems of idiots racing on highways, but at least the cops do something about it here they usually just let them do as the wish, just wait for the accidents then hit the pavement so to speak.

I have no UK or Europe experience but I find I really have to watch other cars on the road here as they are more to do something unexpected, maybe I shud head to Okinawa!!

Take care in Korea!
WhiteHawk at 12:01 PM JST - 27th October

Klein2, point taken. I have never taken the Japanese test. But then, I have never lived in Japan. I just visit for business and the occasional vacation. I typically borrow a car or motorcycle from a friend or business associate if I need to. I've, er, done that in other countries as well. :-D Ssshhh! Our little secret.

Yes. Training and education are a good foundation of basic capabilities. We can agree on that. What happens at Japanese driving schools is something different.

Apparently, it's massages, manicures and child care, with a bit of test preparation thrown in. That's a shame.
societymike at 02:10 PM JST - 27th October

GW, Okinawa drivers kind of suck. Especially the older ones, they are constantly in the way and slow, no blinkers. Nishi-Tokyo was light years better.
Tahoochi at 04:33 PM JST - 27th October

Yep, I've also always thought driving school is a complete rip-off in Japan. Anything related to owning and driving a car is a complete rip-off in Japan (Plates, insurance, parking, sha-ken, gas, etc.).

With that said, I personally think there's a connection somewhere between the high costs of owning a car in Japan, the major population density (especially cars), and the abundance of public transportation.

As far as some of the previous comments regarding safe or unsafe driving in Japan, it's pretty difficult to compare driving in Japan to less densely populated areas such as Canada, or US. Consider how many more cars, motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, and pedestrians you see on the road in Japan than other countries (both urban and suburban), and add the space factor (lack thereof)... I'd say Japanese drivers are pretty good (maybe not at following the rules, but good as in "skillful")
DXXJP at 05:13 PM JST - 27th October

You can thank toyota and the Jgov for driving schools, along with shaken. This is all a money making scheme put in place in the early 60's. Look it up.

And if you think J drivers are bad, as I had always until now, come to the ME. The right turn lane is used to pass all the stopped cars and do a left hand uturn. Signals HA they dont come standard equipment here.
kirakira25 at 05:50 PM JST - 27th October

Re: my previous post - I take it all back, it is a fricking nightmare to get a Japanese driving license if you are British!!!

Went to the license centre today - to anyone who needs to change a license to a Japanese one - be aware you need to get a certified translation of your home country license at your embassy or the Japan Automobile Federation (didn`t know that). You also need to be able to prove (somehow!) that you were resident in the original license country for a minimum of 90 days after the license was issued.

Also be aware that there are restricted hours for changing foreigner licenses - in the case of the Toyocho offices I think the hours are 9-11 and 1-3 only.

Silly me for thinking it was going to be so simple!
Junnama at 05:54 PM JST - 27th October

Went to the license centre today - to anyone who needs to change a license to a Japanese one - be aware you need to get a certified translation of your home country license at your embassy or the Japan Automobile Federation (didn`t know that). You also need to be able to prove (somehow!) that you were resident in the original license country for a minimum of 90 days after the license was issued.

It is a pain - took me several weeks just to get the paperwork together and proper (and I'm an orderly person).
DeepAir65 at 06:15 PM JST - 27th October

I take it all back, it is a fricking nightmare to get a Japanese driving license if you are British!!!

Well if you had done your research it would have been very simple. When I got my license 7 years ago we were in the driving centre for about 1.5 hours - most of that waiting for them to print it.

It's more of a hassle getting your green to blue upgrade - you have to sit through 2 hours of "driver education". Not very educating when your can't speak the language!!!!! Must keep my Gold so that I can keep it down to 30 minutes on the renewal.
WhiteHawk at 09:44 PM JST - 27th October

What about a motorcycle license? In the U.S., it's an endorsement on your regular car license (cars come first in America, motorcycles are an afterthought). Would it be possible just to get a motorcycle license in Japan?

I'm wondering, in case I need to live in Japan for a while to set up a store there for my business. I can live without driving a car, but I can't live without riding!
DXXJP at 10:51 PM JST - 27th October

IIRC a 50cc scooter is just a permit given at the city, up to 400 or 600cc you can ride with a standard license but you need the stamp like the endorsement, and anything bigger is called a big bike mankyo which means its off to school for you. It also costs about the same to get it as the regular DL.
poppler at 04:11 AM JST - 28th October

USNinJapan,

SOFA licenses are considered to be JP licenses and can be directly converted into a regular JP license. Only test required is the eye test.

Better hurry before Hatoyama tries to change the rules.
WhiteHawk at 07:20 AM JST - 28th October

Thanks DXXJP. I can live with a 400-600cc just fine. It just means I won't be able to have a Moto Guzzi while there.
kirakira25 at 06:45 PM JST - 30th October

Well if you had done your research it would have been very simple. When I got my license 7 years ago we were in the driving centre for about 1.5 hours - most of that waiting for them to print it.

Actually to be fair, if my HUSBAND had done the research it would have been simple. He looked at the net and just told me I could "go there and swap it, no problem". But I have noticed this pattern of behaviour in him recently - if I didn`t know better I would swear he was sabotaging my attempts to drive "his" brand new car! Like the phone call I had today from him saying he receommends I rent a small car first and practice driving! And this from the guy who has written off 3 cars so far!
Patrick Smash at 05:20 PM JST - 2nd November

kirakira25, it's not so difficult and the information is available. You can send off for the translation, and you can use old passports to show that you were not resident elsewhere after passing your test. Just get the stuff together, go to the licensing centre, hand it in, wait, have eyesight check and photo, and Bob's your uncle. By the way, if you can't prove the 90-day thing, they usually accept what you say from education records etc., but ask that you put L-plates on your vehicle for the first year. Don't give up based on that rule if you are missing an ancient passport or something...