# AI says any International Driving Permit or home license lets you drive in Japan

- **ID:** `legal/idp-geneva-only-gaimen-kirikae`
- **Domain:** legal
- **Category:** administrative_barrier
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 80%

## Root Cause

Japan only recognises IDPs issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention; permits under the 1968 Vienna Convention are invalid. Long-term residents must convert via gaimen kirikae at a prefectural licence centre, with proof of 3+ months' stay in the issuing country after the licence was obtained.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| any | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **Check your issuing country's regime first, then convert early via gaimen kirikae** (85% success)
   ```
   Geneva-Convention countries: use the IDP for up to 1 year. Special-regime countries: carry the home licence plus a JAF/embassy translation. Residents: book the prefectural licence centre conversion early - knowledge and practical tests apply to most nationalities, and rules tightened in October 2025.
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **Drive on a 1968 Vienna Convention IDP (e.g. issued in Germany, China mainland, or Vietnam)** — Japan is party only to the 1949 Geneva Convention; Vienna-Convention IDPs confer no driving privilege, and driving on one is unlicensed driving. A small set of countries (e.g. Germany, France, Switzerland, Taiwan) instead use a special regime: home licence plus official Japanese translation. (85% fail)
- **Rely on a Geneva IDP indefinitely as a resident** — An IDP is valid at most one year from landing, and residents cannot renew it by briefly leaving and re-entering; long-term residents must convert to a Japanese licence (gaimen kirikae), which requires documents proving 3+ months of stay in the issuing country after obtaining the licence. (70% fail)