Tokyo, 14 July, /AJMEDIA/
Japan plans to make foreign driver’s license conversion tests more stringent by significantly increasing the number of questions, AJMEDIA reports citing the police.
With more foreign drivers on the road, and the number of accidents involving them also on the rise, the new written test is expected to include 50 questions and require a passing score of 90 percent.
The current test only has 10 questions with a minimum passing score of 70 percent.
The government expects to introduce the new system on Oct. 1 after soliciting public opinion. Short-term visitors, including tourists, will lose the right to convert their licenses, according to the National Police Agency.
Questions regarding driving under the influence of alcohol and how to respond when involved in accidents, among others, are expected to be added to the written exam.
The driving test will be bolstered with the addition of assessments on how drivers negotiate pedestrian and railroad crossings on test courses.
With the passing rate in the written portion of the exam standing at 90 percent, some lawmakers have criticized the current evaluation system as “too easy.” The passing rate for the driving test is around 30 percent.
To apply for license conversion, individuals will be required to submit a copy of their certificate of residence in Japan, regardless of their nationality.
Japanese nationals who wish to convert driver’s licenses obtained abroad may submit their certificates of family register instead.
With the success of the government’s policies to attract more foreign workers and tourists, the number of foreigners who converted their driver’s license rose to 68,623 last year, more than double the figure from 10 years ago. Vietnamese were the largest group at 16,681, followed by Chinese and South Koreans, according to the agency.
Under the current system, Japan allows drivers from South Korea and more than 20 other nations to convert their licenses without any written or driving test.
Traffic accidents in which foreign drivers were apportioned the highest percentage of the blame climbed to a record-high 7,286 last year, or about 2.7 percent of all incidents in the country, it said.
