Driving in Japan

Owning a car & driving in Japan.

Buying a car in Japan is relatively easy, and second cars generally come very cheap because there isn�t much of a market for them. However, once you�ve bought your car there are a number of things that you have to consider.

�Shaken�.
This is a road test that cars have to pass. Every car must have a shaken certificate and a sticker on its windscreen, so don�t even think about driving without this. Shaken generally lasts for two years, so before you buy your car make sure how long it is until the shaken runs out. This can significantly affect the value of a second hand since it generally costs at least �100,000 and often more to put shaken on a car. A car without shaken will be almost worthless. One very good thing about shaken is that (unlike the British MOT test) mechanics will put the car into the best possible working order rather than doing the minimum to get it through the test. This means that you can have peace of mind that your car will not have any mechanical failings and you should be able to expect not to have to spend any money on further repairs for the next two years. It is sometimes even possible to get the garage to guarantee the work they have carried out. I did this since my car had no shaken when I bought it so I was unable to test drive it.

Yellow plates vs. white plates.
Yellow plate cars are a lot cheaper than white plate cars. The engine is much smaller (about 600cc), and the insurance and tax is less. Having a yellow plate will save you a lot of money.

Insurance.
In Japan there is compulsory insurance and �voluntary� insurance, but don�t be fooled, because you must have �voluntary� insurance to drive. It�s linked to the size of your engine. I paid �12,000 per month last year for 3rd party cover, but because I�ve had no accidents I now pay just over �8,000. My car has a two litre engine. For a yellow plate you can expect to pay about �5,000 per month.

Tax.
Sometime in the spring you�ll get a tax bill. Mine was about �40,000, but again it�ll be much less with a smaller car.

Driving licences.
You need to have your original driving licence from your home country and an international licence. This is good for you to drive for one year from the date of your first arrival in Japan. If you intend to drive even for one week more, you�ll need to get a Japanese licence. This can be a drawn out process so it�s best to start early if you can. Here�s what you need to do to convert a foreign licence into a Japanese one (this information is also on the web in English at http://www.jaf.or.jp/e/switch.htm and in Japanese at http://www.jaf.or.jp/inter/f_index5.htm However, it�s not entirely up to date: you can�t get a translation by post from the Yamagata JAF office):
    1. Your licence must be valid in your home country.
    2. You must have been in that country and have held your licence for at least three months before coming to Japan.
If you fulfil both of the above conditions, then you need to get your licence translated. The only place to do this is JAF (the Japan Automobile Federation). As long as you know what you need, then this is a relatively simple process. You need to go to the JAF office in Yamagata city (phone 0236 25 4520 fax 0236 25 2366) and cough up �3,000. They�ll do it there and then for you. If you don�t know where it is they can fax you a map. If you live in Shonai there is an office in Tsuruoka but it doesn�t regularly have office staff there so you�ll need to contact them by fax (phone: 0235 22 0704 fax: 0235 22 0705) to find out when you can go. Then they�ll send it all to the Yamagata office and you�ll get your translation about a week later. Or you can just travel to Yamagata.
Once you have obtained your translation, you�ll need to phone up the Tendo driving licence centre (Tendo unten menkyo centaa 天童運転免許センター phone number: 0236 55 2150) and make an appointment.
You�ll need to take:-
    1. Your original driving licence;
    2. Passport;
    3. Gaijin card;
    4. Your JAF translation.
The process takes two days and you can expect to have to use some of your holidays for it. If you�re British or Canadian, you only have to go in the afternoon, give in your paperwork, answer a few questions, pay about �5,000 and then come back early the next day for an eye test, photo and to collect you licence (after a bit of sitting around). If you�re not British or Canadian, you have to sit a written and practical exam like Japanese people do. In this case it�s a good idea to start early in the year because people have been known to fail the test. It�s a good idea to talk with someone who has passed the test before you try it.

Other driving information.
When driving in Japan, be very careful. People are prone to doing weird things and Japan has more than its fair share of bad drivers. What�s more, responsibility for accidents is rarely 100%, and is generally split, so if someone does something outrageous on the road and you�re involved, there�s a good chance you�ll have to pay for someone else�s idiocy. Therefore, the best thing you can do is go slow and keep as far away from other cars as possible. It�s very easy to get wound up, so try to keep calm. Also, because of the way responsibility works here, if you have an accident (even if not your fault) the responsibility will be shared by your superiors at work (supervisor and/or headmaster). This can create problems and is the reason many schools try to prevent their ALTs from driving, particularly during work time. (You should never drive during work time unless you have permission!) Outside of work they can�t stop you driving, but will still feel responsible for you, so please take this into consideration.

Driving conditions in Japan.
The state of the roads is often not great. If you�re in a hurry, bear in mind that roads often have unmarked humps and dips which can wreck your suspension.
The roads are also not cambered. Given the amount of rain here, this means you can get a lot of standing water on the roads, so if you are going fast you will aquaplane and end up with no control over your steering.
In winter, the roads are ploughed but not salted, so you�ll be driving on ice. Most accidents happen in winter. It is strongly recommended that you have winter tyres (�studless tyres�) as these make a huge difference on the ice. I would also recommend that after the first big snow when everything freezes for the first time you go out at a quiet time and see how far you can skid. Apart from being fun, you will quickly learn that driving on ice is very different. Here are some tips to bear in mind:
1. Go slowly. Very slowly. Give yourself plenty of time for your journey.
2. Use your brakes as little as possible. On ice they will lock up instantly and you will spin into a rice field or someone else�s car.
3. For the same reason, take bends gently.
4. Stay in a low gear and keep your revs high. By doing this you can use your engine to slow the car down. This way your wheels will not lock. It�s much safer. In automatic cars there is a �2� setting after drive. This is what that is for. It will also start you in a higher gear: starting with low revs means your wheels spin less.
Because of the winter conditions, it�s a good idea to have a car that is 4WD or front wheel drive. Also, some roads close for the winter, so if you�re planning a trip on a small road through the mountains it�s worth checking first.

Some random rules.
1. Always carry your licence (home & international) when you�re driving. Not doing so will get you a big fine.
2. Always stop at a level crossing before crossing, even if the barrier is up and there are no trains near. It�s a rule and the police love to hang out at level crossings. If they catch they�ll ask for �10,000.
3. When turning at traffic lights, always let the pedestrians cross first, even if the light is green and you have to hold up traffic as you do it.
4. On a dual carriageway, overtaking up the inside is permitted, so expect it. People often don�t use their signals when changing lanes as well. Be careful.
5. If you have an accident, you should not leave the scene without calling the police. Sometimes people will try to do so, saying they are in a hurry or some such excuse, especially if the accident was their fault. Leaving the scene can cause problems with insurance. It�s also a good idea to call your supervisor or someone who can speak good Japanese.

Be a safety driver!!!!

Tom Telford
Sakata city

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