table of contents
- For those who are switching foreign Driver's License for the first time
- What is knowledge confirmation (academic test) for changing to Gaimen?
- Summary of example questions for knowledge confirmation (academic exam)
- To take the knowledge check (theoretical test)
- For those who are unsure about Japanese
- There are countries where knowledge verification and skill verification are exempted when changing to a foreign driver's license.
- lastly
For those who are converting their foreign Driver's License for the first time
I want to obtain a driver's license while on a business trip or study abroad and switch to a Japanese license. I have a foreign driver's license, but I don't have a Japanese driver's license. I don't know what kind of test there is to change to a Gaimen license... For those of you who have such troubles! Changing your Gaimen license for the first time is full of anxiety. In this article, we will thoroughly explain the knowledge confirmation (theoretical test) of the two exams ``Knowledge Confirmation and Skill Confirmation'' that are conducted at the Gaimen Exchange. If you read this to the end, passing the exam on the first try will not be a dream! !
What is the knowledge verification test (written test) for foreign driver's license conversion?
What are the questions?
Questions on basic Japanese traffic laws will be asked.
We'll give you some concrete examples in the next chapter!
How many questions are there on the exam?
There will be 10 questions on the exam. You can pass the exam by answering 7 or more questions out of 10 correctly.
Are there any essay questions? What is the format of the questions?
There are no written questions. Answer all questions in 〇× format.
Summary of sample questions for knowledge verification (written exam)
An example of a written exam
Question 1: At pedestrian crossings or bicycle crossings, you must not overtake or pass other vehicles within 20 meters of the crossing.
A: [X] *Not within 20 meters, but within 30 meters.
Question 2: Vehicles must travel on the right side of the center of the road.
A:【×】 ※You must keep to the left, not the right.
Question 3: Regular cars are not allowed to use the lanes reserved for route buses, regardless of the designated times.
A: [X] *You can pass through outside of the designated hours.
Question 6: This sign indicates that there is a school, kindergarten or nursery school.
A: [×] *This sign indicates that there is a pedestrian crossing.
Question 8: You must be careful about noise in areas where this sign is posted.
A: [X] *This indicates that you are within a horn zone, so you must sound the horn.
Question 9: You must drive slowly wherever you see this sign.
A: [×] *This sign indicates that the road ahead is slippery.
To take the knowledge test (written exam)
Overview of the process for switching to a foreign driver's license
Examination ⇒ Appropriate examination ⇒ Knowledge confirmation ⇒ Skill confirmation
Make a reservation at the driver's license center
Currently, you cannot take the written exam unless you make an advance reservation at the license center in most prefectures. There are also license centers where you can make advance reservations online. Please check with the license center where you will be applying in advance.
For those who are unsure about their Japanese
Don't worry if you're worried about taking the test in Japanese! You can take the test in multiple languages other than Japanese. Since the languages available vary depending on each license center, please check the details with the license center where you will be applying. (As of October 2023)
Tokyo
Arabic, Indonesian, Urdu, English, Korean, Spanish, Thai, Tagalog, Turkish, French, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Persian, Bengali, Portuguese, Malaysian, Burmese, Russian word
Kanagawa
English, Korean, Spanish, Thai, Tagalog, Chinese, Vietnamese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian
Saitama
Ukrainian, Urdu, English, Spanish, Thai, Tagalog, Chinese, Vietnamese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian
Chiba
English, Sinhala, Spanish, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Persian, Portuguese, Mongolian
Aichi
Ukrainian, Urdu, English, Korean, Spanish, Thai, Chinese, Turkish, Vietnamese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian
Osaka
Indonesian, English, Korean, Khmer, Spanish, Thai, Tagalog, Chinese, Nepali, Vietnamese, Persian, Portuguese, Burmese, Mongolian, Russian
Fukuoka
Ukrainian, English, Korean, Spanish, Thai, Tagalog, Chinese, Vietnamese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian
Please contact the License Center directly for the latest information and supported languages in other prefectures.
There are some countries where the knowledge and skills verification for foreign driver's license conversion is exempt.
Those who hold a driver's Driver's License from the following countries will be exempted from knowledge and skill verification when switching to a foreign driver's license.
Iceland Ireland United States of America (Limited to Ohio, Oregon, Colorado, Virginia, Hawaii, Maryland, Washington, and Indiana. However, Indiana is exempt only from skill verification.) |
England Italy |
Australia Austria Netherlands |
Canada South Korea |
Greece |
Switzerland Sweden Spain Slovenia |
czech |
Denmark |
Germany |
new zealand |
Norway |
Hungary |
Finland France |
Belgium |
Poland Portugal |
Monaco |
Luxembourg |
Taiwan |
lastly
What did you think? There were probably many things you didn't know. If you understand the basic traffic rules of Japan, passing the written test for the foreign driver's license conversion test on the first try is not a dream. It's a good idea to prepare thoroughly by checking the practice questions in advance.
In addition, there are many license centers that can handle languages other than Japanese, so if you want to take the knowledge test (written test) in another language, it is important to check in advance.
Once you pass the knowledge test (written test), the final step is the skills test! Please also use this article.
Aim to pass on the first try! It's difficult if you don't know! ? Preparation for skill confirmation (practical test) for changing to Gaimen
Click here for “SAMURAI DRIVER, preparation for foreign driver license change/skill confirmation test”☟
Japanese version: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/jpsamuraidriverziplus
English version: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/ensamuraidriverziplus
Chinese version: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/zhsamuraidriverziplus
Vietnamese version: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/visamuraidriver
