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Name: Japan Driving Test Statistics
Creator: AutoviaTest

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Japan Traffic Law Report

Source Agency: National Police Agency (NPA) / MLIT

Last Updated: February 12, 2026

Key Findings

●Theory test pass rate is 71% (2023, NPA Traffic Statistics)
●Road fatalities: 2,678 deaths in 2023 — Up 2.6% from 2022, first increase in 8 years
●2.5 million tests administered per year by National Police Agency
●Most challenging topic: Road Markings (26% fail rate)

Test Statistics

Theory Test Pass Rate

71%

NPA Traffic Statistics (2023)

Practical Test Pass Rate

72%

NPA Traffic Statistics (2023)

Tests Administered Per Year

2.5 million

NPA (2023)

Speed Limits

Urban

40-60 km/h

Rural / National Roads

50-60 km/h

Motorway / Highway

100-120 km/h

Most Challenging Topics

1

Road Markings

26% fail rate

Complex Japanese road marking system

2

Right-of-Way

24% fail rate

Left-hand traffic priority scenarios

3

Pedestrian Rules

22% fail rate

Strict pedestrian priority requirements

4

Highway Driving

20% fail rate

Expressway merging and toll system rules

5

Parking Regulations

18% fail rate

Garage certificate requirements and no-parking zones

Road Safety

Road Fatalities

2,678 deaths

NPA Road Traffic Accident Statistics (2023)

Trend

Up 2.6% from 2022, first increase in 8 years

Penalties & Fines

SpeedingJPY 15,000-100,000 fine, 1-12 points

Driving Under InfluenceUp to JPY 1,000,000 fine, imprisonment up to 5 years, license revocation

Points System0-point start; accumulate up to suspension/revocation thresholds

Mobile Phone UseJPY 12,000-25,000 fine (varies by vehicle type), 3 points

Recent Law Changes

2020

Expressway speed limit raised to 120 km/h on selected Shin-Tomei and Tohoku sections

2023

Stricter penalties for tailgating (aori unten) enforcement

2023

Electric kickboard regulations introduced with new license category

Sources & Methodology

All statistics in this report are sourced from official government agencies and publicly available data. AutoviaTest is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with any government testing agency.

Data last verified: 2026-02-12

Primary Sources:

NPA Traffic Statistics — Test statistics (2023)
NPA Road Traffic Accident Statistics — Road safety data (2023)
National Police Agency (NPA) / MLIT — Official regulatory body

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Quick Facts

Theory test questions

95 questions (90 true/false + 5 illustration worth 2 pts each), 90% to pass

Driving side

Left-hand traffic

License validity

3 years initially, then 5 years (gold license for no violations)

Unique requirement

Garage certificate (shako shomeisho) needed to own a car

Training hours

26+ hours at licensed driving school

Beginner mark

Wakaba (green/yellow arrow) mark required for 1 year

Cite This Report

AutoviaTest. (2026, February 12). Japan traffic law report: Driving test statistics. AutoviaTest. https://autoviatest.com/en-CL/traffic-law-reports/japan

Embed This Data

🇯🇵Japan Driving Stats

Theory Pass Rate71%

Practical Pass Rate72%

Motorway Speed100-120 km/h

Fatalities (2023)2,678 deaths

Source: AutoviaTest | CC BY 4.0

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