There is an international permit that allows Brazilians to drive in more than 100 different countries. Other countries such as the USA and Latin America allow you to drive with your own Brazilian driver's license and an identification document. What about Japan? Is it possible to drive in Japan with an International Permit or CNH?
Unfortunately, Brazilians cannot drive in Japan using the International Driving Permit, much less the Brazilian driver's license. Unfortunately, Japan is not a signatory to the Vienna Convention, which is responsible for the International Driving Permit. Now that you know that Japan does not allow it, keep reading the article because I have a lot of things to say about this subject.
It is also not possible to translate your driver’s license into Japonês. You will need to undergo practical and theoretical tests to obtain your own license in Japan. Remember that if you have a Brazilian CNH, you can avoid the lengthy process of attending classes and have your carteira japonesa in up to 3 days.
Unfortunately, tourists cannot simply apply for their driver's license in Japan, because they require several documents such as proof of residence, driving record, and translation of the driver's license into Japanese.
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Japan does not accept the International Driving Permit?
In addition to the fact that Japan is not part of the PID organization, the mão inglesa and the signs in japanese may discourage Japan from accepting this type of treaty. I thought so until I discovered that Japan does accept the IDP (in English) from more than 95 countries for up to a year.
Below is a list of countries that can drive freely in Japan using the IDP (International Driving Permit):
Responsive Table: Scroll the table to the side with your finger >>
| Ásia: Philippines, India, Thailand, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Republic of Korea;
África: South Africa, Central African Republic, Egypt, Ghana, Algeria, Morocco, Botswana, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Benin, Ivory Coast, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Niger; África: Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Iran, Tunisia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Burkina Faso, Nigeria; Europa: United Kingdom, Greece, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands. France, Italy, Russia, Serbia, Montenegro, Spain, Finland, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, Poland. Ireland, Hungary, Romania, Iceland, Bulgaria, Malta, Albania, Luxembourg, Monaco, San Marino. Vatican, Kyrgyz Republic, Georgia, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic Americas: United States, Canada, Peru, Cuba, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile. Paraguay, Barbados, Commonwealth of Dominica, Guatemala, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Jamaica; Others: New Zealand, Fiji, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Macau; |
Calm down, it's not over yet... There are other countries outside this list that can drive in Japan without having to get another license.
Why does Japan accept PID from countries other than Brazil?
It must be disappointing to know that even other countries in América Latina can drive in Japan using an International Permit. Unfortunately, Japan only recognizes the International Driving Permit based on the Geneva Convention of 1949.
Belgium, France, Germany, Monaco, Slovenia, Switzerland and Taiwan do not have item licenses based on the 1949 Geneva Convention. Fortunately they have a separate agreement that allows drivers to drive in Japan for up to one year with an official Japanese translation. Unfortunately Brazil is not included in this list.
A translation can be obtained from the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) or from some of the embassies or consulates of these countries. Make sure that the car rental date is within the validity period of your license.
Be careful when applying for your Geneva Permit
If you are from another country, or have a driver's license from another country, you can try to apply for your Geneva international permit. Be careful because there are countries that require other international permits, even though they are part of Geneva.
France, for example, appears on the Geneva Permissions list, but is not accepted in Japan through this permission. I don't know if it's because she stopped issuing using the Geneva Convention or something.
In addition to the Geneva Convention and the Vienna Convention (1968) used in Brazil, there are international permissions from the Paris Convention (1926) and the Washington Convention (1943). Make sure you are issuing the 1949 Geneva permit.
Japan also does not accept international permits issued by unauthorized agencies or private entities such as: IDL, IDD, KIDA, IAA, IADA, ITDL and others.
Japan also does not accept wallets where they were originally made in one country but international permission made in another. If you get your driver's license in the US, do not attempt to issue an international permit in Canada.
To drive in Japan, you need to have a passport, a local license and an international permit.
As with hotel reservations, some car rental companies will not deliver the car if you do not have a valid international permit. Some won't even refund the money if you haven't canceled the reservation before the deadline.
I hope this article has cleared all your doubts on the subject! We appreciate the comments and shares. We also recommend reading:
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Transferring your Driver's License to Japan
The only option, if you are living in Japan, is to retake all the tests and get a new wallet. This process is simplified if you already have a Brazilian driver's license. You just need to retake the theoretical and practical tests.
To make this process easier, Kirizawa took an online course to get her driver's license in Japan. A course at a much more affordable price than paying for classes or interpreters. If you want to know details, just access the link in the button below: