You need to have a valid driver’s license and also meet the qualifications to drive in Japan.
The detailed information is as follows. Please read through the information before departure.

 

Qualifications for Driving in Japan

Please check the qualifications necessary for driving automobiles in Japan.

ENGLISH / 中文

 

Driver’s License

Driver’s licenses which permit driving of automobiles in Japan are as follows:

Japanese Driver’s License

Driver’s licenses issued by public safety commissions in Japan

International Driving Permit

International driving permits issued by a certifying body in one of the signatory countries/territories of the Geneva Convention based on the format of the Geneva Convention

Must be able to present passport at the same time.

Foreign Driver’s License and its Japanese Translation

Driver’s licenses issued in Switzerland, Germany, France, Taiwan, Belgium, or Monaco, along with a Japanese translation of the license

Must be able to present passport at the same time.

Notes:

• Japanese translation of the driver’s license must be issued by the respective country’s embassy or consulate in Japan or by the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF).
• For Taiwanese licenses, a Japanese translation of the driver’s license must be issued by the JAF, the Taiwan-Japan Relations association or the ZIPLUS Co., Ltd..
• Foreign driver’s licenses are valid for driving in Japan for one (1) year from the date of landing in Japan (confirmed by the immigration stamp in the passport showing the date of landing in Japan) or until the expiration date of the foreign license, whichever is earlier.
  However, persons on the basic resident register who leave Japan and subsequently re-enter the country within less than three (3) months, will not have their re-entry date considered as their date of landing (the start date for driving eligibility in Japan).