How Japan is Tackling Foreign Driver Traffic Risks with 7,286 Cases

In recent years, Japan has observed a surge in traffic accidents involving foreign drivers—particularly those operating rental vehicles. With a total of 7,286 such incidents recorded nationwide, authorities are now implementing a range of targeted measures—from bilingual signage to driver education—to reduce risks and improve safety.    #asiadailynews.org #japan_traffic_accidents_7286_cases_foreign_drivers

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1. Rising incidents, rising concern

Between January and June 2023 alone, 417 accidents near Mount Fuji involved foreign drivers—nearly nine times more than the previous year In Fukuoka Prefecture, 582 crashes involved foreigners in 2023, constituting about 3% of all traffic incidents there. Nationally, several thousand similar incidents were documented, culminating in the alarming total of 7,286 cases.

These numbers reflect a combination of increased inbound tourism and a lack of familiarity with Japanese traffic rules.

2. Language barriers and unfamiliar traffic norms

A core challenge stems from linguistic and cultural differences:

• Stop signs in Japan are inverted triangles—over 70% of foreign drivers don’t recognize them correctly.
  
  
  
• Left-side driving, tight roads, and sharp corners often confuse first-time visitors
  
  
  
• Many rental drivers are unaware of pedestrian priority rules and local intersection behaviors.
  
  
  

One traveler recounted:

“If you are not used to driving on the left it can be difficult. Japan has lots of very narrow one-lane roads… And yes, if you have an accident it’s definitely a lot of trouble because nobody speaks English.” 

3. Key accident hotspots and patterns

Popular tourist destinations see disproportionate risk:

• Mount Fuji region (Yamanashi Prefecture): 417 foreign-driver accidents in 2023
  
  
  
• Hokkaido and Okinawa: about 80% of foreign-driver collisions occur here.
  
  
  
• Fukuoka Prefecture: 582 incidents, including 105 bicycle collisions and many rear-end crashes .
  
  
  

Common causes include failing to stop at intersections, rear-ending, colliding with curbs, or misjudging priority—often resulting from rule unfamiliarity.

4. Government and local countermeasures

4.1 Bilingual road signs

Since 2017, Japan has been replacing many stop signs with bilingual ones. In Fukuoka, only 13% of ~60,000 stops now display "Stop" in English. Nationwide, some 68,000 bilingual signs were in place by March 2020 

4.2 Rental-car safety flyers and briefings

Police across the country—especially in Fujiyoshida—distribute multilingual safety flyers at rental agencies, highlighting stop rules, pedestrian priority, and emergency procedures 

4.3 Multilingual education campaigns

Hokkaido police distribute information in English, Chinese, and Korean during major events like the Sapporo Snow Festival. Rental agencies also provide translated rulebooks and staff briefings