Japan traffic rules for the conversion test
The rules the written check asks about, explained simply, with the numbers you must remember.
Traffic signals
The check asks what each light, arrow, flashing light and police hand signal means. Signals are the first thing you must obey on any road, and small details (yellow, arrows, flashing red) are easy to get wrong.
Signs and road markings
The check asks what common signs and road markings mean, described in words. Learn the four sign types, the stop and no-parking signs, and the colour and shape of lines on the road.
Lanes and keeping left
In Japan you drive on the left. The check asks which part of the road you may use, how lanes are used, and when you may cross the centre line or change lanes.
Intersections and roundabouts
Intersections are where most accidents happen. The check asks who has priority, when to slow down, and how to use a roundabout.
Turning
The check asks how to position your car, when to signal and who gives way when you turn. In Japan you turn left close to the kerb and right toward the centre.
Overtaking
The check asks when you may overtake, which way to pass, and where overtaking is banned. In Japan you drive on the left, so you normally pass on the right, and there are many banned places.
Speed limits
The check asks how fast an ordinary car may go on different roads. The legal speed on roads without a centre line was lowered to 30 km/h from 1 September 2026, and signs always come first.
Following distance and braking
The check asks how much space to keep behind the car ahead and how a car stops. Japanese law gives no fixed number of metres on ordinary roads: the gap must be enough to avoid a crash if the car ahead stops suddenly.
Pedestrians and crosswalks
The check asks how drivers must treat people on foot, especially at crosswalks, and how to protect children, older people and people with disabilities. In Japan pedestrians have strong priority.
Stop signs and stop lines
The check asks where and how to stop at a stop sign, a stop line or a flashing red light. In Japan 止まれ means a real stop at the line, not a slow roll.
No parking and no stopping
The check asks where you may not stop or park, and the exact distances. In Japan many places are banned for both stopping and parking, and a few are banned only for parking.
Railway crossings
The check asks what you must do before and while you cross a railway crossing. Accidents at crossings are often serious, so the rules are strict.
Emergency and priority vehicles
The check asks how to give way to ambulances, fire engines and police cars, and how to treat route buses and bus lanes. These rules decide who goes first or who must move.
Expressways
The check asks about speed limits, merging, and what to do if you break down on an expressway. Expressway rules are strict because speeds are high.
Night driving and bad weather
The check asks when to turn on lights, how to use high and low beams, and how to drive in rain, fog, snow, tunnels and on hills. The common theme is: slow down and leave more space.
Safe driving duties
This topic checks the basic duties of a driver: no alcohol, no phone in hand, seat belts and child seats, and being fit to drive. Japan enforces these strictly, and the penalties are heavy.
After an accident
This topic checks what a driver must do after a traffic accident: stop, help injured people, prevent more danger and report to the police. Leaving the scene (hit-and-run) is a serious crime in Japan.
Licence rules and driver marks
This topic checks the rules about holding and carrying a licence, the marks that some drivers must or should display, and the checks a driver makes before driving. Many questions are about who must display which mark and for how long.
Bicycles and mopeds
This topic checks the rules for bicycles and mopeds (原付) and how drivers share the road with them. In Japan a bicycle is a vehicle: it follows the left-side rule and signals, and the rules for bicycles became stricter in 2024 and 2026.
Loading and passengers
This topic checks how many people a car may carry, how much and how large a load it may carry, how to open doors safely, and when towing needs a licence. The questions often use exact numbers, so learn them.