Quick tip, if you are from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan, the international driver’s license won’t cut it. You need to have your original license AND a translation together.
It used to be very straightforward: go to a JAF (Japanese Automobile Federation) office, hand them your license, pay and be done within an hour.
Now it turned into a purely japanese mess.
You need to use their online platform (https://jafnavi.jp/honyaku/uketuke/index.php?select_language=en), fill your license data, your intended address in Japan a phone number and scans of your license, pay with a credit card.
Then, it can take UP TO TWO WEEKS to get your translation. Two weeks, which is vacation’s average duration. Then you receive a link valid 7 days to print it at a 7-Eleven the link can be prolongated/reissued apparently.
You’d think, it’s OK, just anticipate and apply in advance so it’s done when you arrive. But NO, their site blocks any IP outside of Japan.
I read that another Redditor used VPNGate, it’s made for research purposes and works a treat with tons of free VPNs available in Japan. It did not work on my Win10 laptop, but went seamlessly on my old trusty Win7 desktop. Some people say they got it working with NordVPN.
TLDR: If you need a driver’s license translation rapidly after arriving, apply for it 6 days in advance with a VPN.
by Ancient-Street-3318