Just applied to have my Australian driving licence converted to Japanese licence in Kagoshima and got a shock. Their waiting list for this is currently stretching out to October! There’s something going wrong there – not enough staff perhaps. Wish I had started this process months ago now.
I’m guessing this is just a provincial thing and Tokyo/Osaka is much quicker. Anyone else had experience of a transfer having a massive waiting time?
In any case, if you are planning to switch licences over and have just been sitting on it because you have your IDP, I’d suggest getting the lead out and starting the process ASAP. Especially so if you are down here in Kagoshima.
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I know a woman in rural Hokkaido who was told a similar timeline, so it seems like all the driving centers are just super backed up. I imagine that since the borders opened, there are tons more foreign residents applying for the license conversion than before, could explain why the wait times are so bad these days
Wow. I didn’t have to wait at all when I used my California license to get a Japanese license. The driving test was a pain, though.
I’m in Nagoya and afaik our conversions are instant. My 2 Aussie colleagues got theirs the same day. Im still in the process of mine (had to go back and get another doc) but the guy told me once I go for my new appt I’ll be done.
The pain is getting an appointment lol. Its like uni timetabling all over again.
In Tokyo (Samezu) it was instant meaning a few hours. No appointment necessary. The line was maybe 30 minutes long. This was in Jan 2022. Shocked that Tokyo would be easier and less wait than other areas of Japan.