Driving in Japan offers convenience and flexibility, but there are important aspects to consider, from getting a driver’s license without knowing Japanese to renting a car. While the basic rules of the road are similar to those in other countries, the process and consequences of a traffic ticket in Japan can be quite different. Japan’s unique demerit point system and various types of tickets can be confusing.
When pulled over, you’ll be asked to show your license and residence card. Police in Japan are (usually) polite and may even apologize for inconveniencing you by pulling you over. However, this doesn’t mean they’re letting you go with just a stern warning. There’s very likely a ticket on the way.
While it’s best to avoid traffic violations altogether, here’s a guide to help you navigate the process if you ever receive a traffic ticket in Japan.
What Do The Ticket Colors Mean?
In Japan, there are four different classes of tickets, each with a unique color.
White
This is for minor infractions like forgetting to wear your seat belt. They don’t carry a financial penalty, although they will earn you a few demerit points (more on these soon).
Blue
Moving up the severity scale, the next class of tickets is blue. These are in the three to six demerit point range and come with a fee. Making an illegal turn, running a red light or using your phone while driving are some of the ones included in this category.
Red
The top is red, which is bad. Drive while intoxicated or without a license, and you’ll receive one of these. Expect your license to be suspended and to have to show up in court. There will also be a steep fine.
Yellow
The last category is yellow tickets, which are given out for parking violations. If your driving infraction is caught by a camera, your notification will also be one of these. Take the yellow ticket to the nearest police station to be exchanged for a white, blue or red one.
How Do The Demerit Points Work?
Japan implements a unique demerit point system for traffic violations called kotsuihan. The severity of the offense determines the number of points added to one’s record.
Accumulating demerit points can lead to higher premiums. Insurance companies in Japan often consider the driver’s demerit point history when calculating insurance rates. In severe cases, the accumulation of demerits may lead to a suspended (mentei) or revoked (menkyotorikeshi) license.
For instance, surpassing the speed limit by more than 50 kilometers per hour results in 12 demerits and a red ticket, while exceeding it by less than 20 kph earns just one point. Moreover, the frequency of offenses matters; repeated violations lower the threshold for losing your license. Even holders of International Driver Permits are subject to demerit points.
Though these points don’t impact your license from your home country, accumulating too many can result in losing driving privileges in Japan. Additionally, attempting to transfer your license to a Japanese one with a suspended International Driving Permit on record may encounter complications.
How Many Demerit Points Are Violations Worth?
Click here to read more.
- External Link
- https://gaijinpot.com/
23 Comments
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sakurasuki
Beside that, get a on dash camera, sometimes when you get a ticket, there's always two version of that story. On dash camera will help clear things out.
Mr Kipling
No. Never do this! Just pay the fine at the Combini and avoid the points. Going to the police station is an admission that YOU were the driver and get any points.
bass4funk
That happened to me when I first came to Japan. I didn’t know the system and got dinged for that, but I found that information out later. I never, ever walk into any police station unless I absolutely have to. If I get a ticket, I got immediately to the conbini and pay it.
SDCA
Interesting, never knew this and I'll keep it in mind next time. Points haunt you for several years unfortunately. My boss at my previous job had me drive to a train station which apparently didn't allow non-commercial drivers to pass through and I got ticketed and pointed for it. Till this day this guy's mistake is haunting me by making me go to the dreaded driver's license center every time I need to re-new my license and take a stupid 2 hour course.
BertieWooster
And don't forget that they can arrest and detain you in solitary confinement for 48 hours or longer with extensions with no lawyer and no lawyer present during interrogations.
GuruMick
I've had one "not stop for 3 seconds " at a stop sign...around 800 yen penalty.
A few locals appeared and commiserated with me ..."ahh...they got you too eh... "
Overall I'd say traffic rules in Japan are routinely ignored with zero consequences.
No indicating , no seat belts on kids, and talking on phones while driving would top my list.
timeon
I had the same experience with Mr. Kipling. And not only the points, they kept me there 2 hours, checking ID, residence card, etc. After that, combini only for me.
All the times cops stopped me in Japan, they were very polite, and some of them quite friendly. A few times they let me go with a warning, but mostly they did fine me, it seems they have a norma to fill.
Redemption
I got stopped once in an intersection where they can give infractions like shooting fish in a barrel. There were 5 roads coming together and I turned into the closest one which was apparently not permitted. There were so many signs that I could not even find the sign the police were referring to. In any case, just pay it. If only they enforced infractions against bicyclists.
nandakandamanda
Been done several times, and in most cases the police were polite and I quietly bit the bullet, but in two cases (in retrospect) the police officers were not exactly 100% fair.
It does take years to get back to a gold driver’s license.
The insurance rep was going to increase the annual fee as my license was in blue status, but then he asked if my wife’s was a gold one, (yes) so he changed the policy to her name for me in order to avoid the increase!
Antiquesaving
As others pointed out don't go to the police!
Now under the newer system the ticket placed on your car may not have the fine amount written or a means of paying it!
But don't worry, one will be sent with the "reminder" of the violation to the address the car is registered!
When that one arrives you can pay online or conbini!
Seeing the ticket was issued to the car and they cannot verify who was driving, no points are taken.
In the old days parking tickets were given only by the police but today in places like Tokyo the old guys in green on bicycle do it. No more plastic thing attached to your car mirror!
If you don't pay the ticket, the car owner will not be able to renew the shaken!
Antiquesaving
Nothing unique!
Long before I came to Japan the same system was and is in place in my country!
Each infraction results in a different number of points lost.
You start with 12 once you hit zero, you lose your license!
So 11km to 20km over the speed limit 1 point, 21 km to 30 over 2 points, etc... and the fine gets more expensive each increment , passing a school bus with flashing lights and the stop sign out is 9 points! Red light/stop sign 3 points.
Why does the author think this was unique to Japan?
Antiquesaving
Side note, if you feel you have been given a ticket wrongly think long and hard before deciding to go to court and fight it.
The laws are strange in Japan.
A traffic violation is technically a criminal act.
The way around it is if you pay then no charges are filed.
But if you decide to go to court then technically the prosecution is changing you with a "crime" and if you lose technically you are a convicted criminal.
Now as a Japanese citizen it real has little or no affect but as a foreigner it is possible you could lose your right to stay in Japan especially if you don't have PR.
In theory any conviction even a small one like a traffic violation is an automatic revocation of your Visa.
I haven't known anyone that this has happened to but when I saw a lawyer with the intent to fight a ticket, he informed me of this possibility and he said he had clients end up losing their visa!
This site explains it better!
https://sumikawa.net/legal-services/traffic-violation-in-japan/
tomlives
Could somebody tell me what the ACTUAL speed limit is, here? I see '80' on the expressway, but everyone goes faster. Nobody seems to be able to give me a coherent answer.
Trapped
This article is wonderful, if not for allowing all of this lived experience to be added.
Antiquesaving
Expect for the fact parts are wrong and those with "lived experience" corrected it!
Mie Fox
it seems they have a norma to fill.
This ! Their stops rarely have anything to do with actual traffic safety.
In my city the white markings on the road have become all but invisible in many places, which makes it truly dangerous to drive at night, especially when it is raining. You can only guess where the lines are. Do the "kootsuu anzen" people care? Nope, the lines are allowed to deteriorate further and further.
But they are out in force for "nezumi tori" duty, giving you a lecture about "traffic safety".
timeon
Tomlives, if there is no sign, then it is 100 km/h in the expressway. But in many places is limited to 80. Recently, a few segments raised it to 120 km/h.
carpslidy
Tollives
The unspoken rule in my experience is under 115km is ok as long as you slow down if you see a police car in your rear view mirror.
Over 120km and it's down to luck if you get a ticket or the policeman just winds down they window and tells you to slow down
If they were serious about stopping speeding on the highway then they would monitor what time you enter and exit the highway but then most people wouldn't use the highways which are technically privately owned.
Nihon Tora
Every time I use the highway (typically weekends and holidays) I always end up in a massive traffic jam at some point, so even if I went 150 for most of the way, I'd still end up having averaged 60 because I spent an hour in stop-start traffic!
JRO
A question to people in here.
What is the lowest speeding you have been stopped and fined for? Feels like not doing at least 10kmh over the limit puts you in danger here, as everyone is going at least 10 - 20kmh over the limit.
carpslidy
Nihon Tora,
Sounds like you live in Kanto, Kansai or Nagoya
Here in west Japan, highways are usually congestion free
timeon
JRO, my Japanese friends told me to keep it within +20 km/h. That's within 120 on the highway, and usually within 70 on normal roads. Usually the cops will let it slide, unless there is some special check point. And remember that if you speed over +20, both the fine and the points deducted will be substantially higher. In 25 years, I got just one speed ticket, late at night on the rainbow bridge (on the descending part, where the limit is 40), I overtook a truck and the police (fukumen) were right behind me. I was doing about 70, but they were nice and used the minimum recorded speed (58, that's +18), I paid 20,000 jpy and lost 2 points.
Zaphod
Not exactly unique; Germany has the same system. The J system actually looks like a copy of it.