Japan to Tighten Rules for Switching Foreign Driver's Licenses

   Tokyo, May 22 (Jiji Press)--Japan's National Police Agency has unveiled plans to make stricter a system that enables people to convert their driver's licenses issued by another country to Japanese ones, amid a series of accidents caused by foreign drivers.
   The policy was presented at the first meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's special committee on creating a harmonious society with foreign nationals. The meeting took place at the party's headquarters in Tokyo on Wednesday.
   Some have taken issue with the current system allowing people to apply for Japanese licenses using temporary addresses such as those of hotels, and with the passing grade for the system's knowledge test being too low at seven out of 10 answers correct.
   The NPA plans to require in principle a copy of applicants' residence certificates, and to increase the number of questions on the knowledge test, to make it more difficult to obtain Japanese licenses.
   LDP policy chief Itsunori Onodera, who heads the special committee, visited the Samezu driver's license center in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward on Wednesday to inspect the desk for applying to switch driver's licenses.

(2025/05/22-16:05)