Can you take the Japanese driving test in English?
Yes. The written (knowledge) tests for a Japanese driving licence are available in English at prefectural licence centres. Since June 2024 the police have run the karimen, honmen and second-class written tests in 20 languages, and since October 2025 the foreign licence conversion knowledge check uses the same 20-language, 50-question format. The practical driving test is not a language test: the examiner gives simple instructions in Japanese, and centres may ask you to bring an interpreter.
The 20 languages
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police (Keishicho) lists the written test in these languages for first-class licences (including honmen), second-class licences, the provisional (karimen) licence, and the knowledge check for converting a foreign licence:
English, Chinese, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Spanish, Korean, Russian, Thai, Tagalog, Indonesian, Khmer, Burmese, Mongolian, Ukrainian, Sinhala, Hindi, Persian, Nepali, Urdu and Arabic.
The same 20-language list is used by Kanagawa, Osaka and Aichi, which introduced it on 28 June 2024, and by other prefectures that adopted the nationally translated question set. The moped (gentsuki) test is offered in fewer languages: in Tokyo, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Nepali and Burmese.
Where and when: Tokyo
| English (also Chinese, Vietnamese, Nepali, Burmese) | Every weekday at all three test centres: Fuchu, Samezu and Koto, for first-class, provisional and second-class written tests |
|---|---|
| The other 15 languages | Tuesdays at Fuchu, Wednesdays at Samezu, Thursdays at Koto |
| Conversion knowledge check (gaimen kirikae) | All 20 languages, every weekday, at Fuchu and Samezu |
| Closed | Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and 29 December to 3 January |
| Booking | Tokyo's written tests are fully reservation-based. Book through the Keishicho online reservation system and tell the staff on the day that you want the English paper. |
Where and when: other prefectures
- Kanagawa (Futamatagawa licence centre, Yokohama): first-class, second-class and provisional written tests in 20 languages since 28 June 2024. Tell the reception staff when you apply.
- Osaka (Kadoma and Komyoike test centres): first-class, second-class and provisional written tests in 20 languages since 28 June 2024. The moped test is in English, Chinese, Portuguese and Vietnamese.
- Aichi (the Hirabari test centre in Nagoya and the Higashi-Mikawa licence centre): first-class and provisional written tests in all 20 languages. Reception for the main centre runs 8:45 to 11:30.
- Elsewhere: most prefectures now offer at least English, but the days, centres and booking rules differ. Search the prefectural police site for 外国語 学科試験 (foreign-language written test) or phone the centre before you go.
What the English paper is like
The questions are translations of the Japanese question bank, so the phrasing is formal and literal. Statements turn on single words such as "always", "may", "must" and "immediately". A question that reads naturally in English is often the one that catches people out, because the Japanese original tests a precise rule. The karimen paper and the conversion knowledge check are 50 true-or-false statements in 30 minutes with 45 correct needed to pass; the honmen paper is 90 statements plus 5 illustrated hazard questions in 50 minutes. See the karimen test format and the honmen test format.
Practising in the same true-or-false format is the most reliable preparation. Ten free sample questions show the style, and Paper 07 is free by email.
Frequently asked questions
Is the English driving test easier than the Japanese one?
No. It is the same question bank translated, with the same 90% pass mark and the same time limit. Some people find the translated phrasing harder, because it is literal and formal.
Do I need to book the English test in advance?
In Tokyo, yes: all written tests are reservation-only through the Keishicho online system. In Kanagawa, Osaka and Aichi you normally tell the reception staff when you apply, though re-takes and some categories need a booking. Check your prefecture's police site.
Can I take the practical driving test in English?
There is no English version of the practical test. The examiner gives short instructions in Japanese (turn left, stop, pull over). Many centres ask non-Japanese speakers to bring an interpreter, so confirm when you book.
Which language should I choose if English is not my first language?
Choose the language you read fastest under time pressure. The karimen paper allows 36 seconds per question, and the honmen paper about 32, so reading speed matters more than vocabulary.
Is the conversion (gaimen kirikae) knowledge check available in English?
Yes. Since 1 October 2025 it is a 50-question true-or-false paper in the same 20 languages, offered on weekdays at Fuchu and Samezu in Tokyo.
Related guides
- Karimen test format
- Honmen test format
- October 2025 rule change
- Test centres by prefecture
- Free online mock test (50 questions, 30 minutes)
- Conversion guide
- 10 free sample questions with answers
Practice papers written for this exam, in English
Ten topic papers, 500 true-or-false questions with answers, explanations and a Japanese term glossary. ¥500 per paper, or ¥4,000 for all ten plus ten full 50-question mock tests. Paper 07 is free.
Get the free paper Try 10 sample questionsThis page was last checked in September 2026 against the Tokyo (Keishicho), Kanagawa, Osaka and Aichi prefectural police pages on foreign-language written tests. Rules, fees and formats are set prefecture by prefecture and change with little notice, so always confirm the current requirements with your local licence centre before you book. Independent study material; not affiliated with any prefectural police, licence centre or driving school.