Japan Grapples with Rising Traffic Accidents Involving Foreign Drivers

On June 10th in Tokyo, Yoshinobu Kusunoki, the head of the National Police Agency, addressed traffic police chiefs from across Japan. The meeting focused on the concerning rise in traffic accidents involving foreign drivers.

Data from the National Police Agency reveals a significant increase in these accidents. Over the past five years, incidents involving foreign drivers have surged by 30 percent, reaching a total of 7,286 in 2024. These accidents resulted in serious consequences, including 54 fatal accidents and 486 incidents causing serious injuries.

This increase coincides with a record high in the number of foreign residents holding Japanese driver's licenses. By the end of last year, this number reached 1.25 million. Commissioner General Kusunoki emphasized the importance of improving traffic safety measures.

Kusunoki urged prefectural traffic department chiefs to intensify traffic safety education and awareness campaigns specifically targeting international drivers. He stressed the need to promote understanding of both Japanese traffic laws and local driving etiquette.

While the majority of foreign drivers involved in accidents held valid Japanese licenses, a portion were driving without a license, with invalid credentials, or using international driving permits. The data also highlighted the nationalities most frequently involved in accidents, with Chinese drivers topping the list, followed by Koreans and Brazilians.

A significant number of accidents involved drivers who had converted their home-country licenses to Japanese licenses. Concerns have been raised about the conversion process, which some critics believe doesn't adequately assess applicants' traffic knowledge. The National Police Agency is currently reviewing this system to ensure it meets safety standards.

Looking ahead, the number of non-Japanese drivers is expected to continue to grow. The government's expansion of the Type 1 Specified Skilled Worker visa program to include the transport and delivery industry will likely contribute to this trend. Kusunoki underscored the importance of companies employing foreign drivers to strengthen safety training and oversight. He also called for stricter enforcement against illegal taxi operations involving overseas drivers.