Driving Licence confusion!!
 

Konnichiwa!

I hold a full, UK driving licence and am planning to get a Japanese licence as my International Driving Licence has expired and I've no immediate plans to return to the UK. I did some research online and initially thought that all I had to do to get a Japanese licence was to produce a Japanese translation of my licence, take an eye test and prove that I'd lived in the UK for 3 months after passing my UK test. In other words, I wouldn't have to take any additional written or practical test. However, I've just checked the JAF (Japanese Automobile Federation) website and it appears that I do have to take an "aptitude test", a "traffic rule knowledge check" and a "driving skill check". Is this correct??

Arigatou!

That sounds about right. They should have the test in English, though my area doesn't have an English speaking person for the driving test, according to a Thai friend of mine.

You shouldn't to take the driving skill test if you have a UK license. You'll just have to take the simply written test, and eye test. You'll also need to bring pictures of yourself (why, I don't know, as they take another one on-site to put on your license), and money for the fees.

Thanks for that guys! I'm planning to hire a car this summer (and eventuallyto buy a motorbike) and so will post an update as and when I get my Japanese licence.

When I tx'd my clean UK license to JP there was no test apart from the eye test. I understand that if you have endorcements then your situation may be different, depending on the amount of points or if you have had a license revoked and re-issued.
I did not do a written nor aptitude test and the transfer was ok except for my not having my old passport (valid at the time I passed my UK test) and having to get an AD from the embassy at vampire rates.

I hope you have the UK motorcycle license, as that one you will have to take seperatly to get it added to the JP if you did not do the UK test.

agreed If you don't have the endorsement for riding a motorcycle on your native license it will cost a few thousand in japan on top of the fees for your DL.

Cheers for the further comments guys! Thankfully I already have a UK motorcycle licence BUT the passport I had when I passed my car test has long since gone!! What's an AD, dirtyroboto?

Affidavit.
An affidavit is a formal sworn statement of fact, signed by the author, who is called the affiant or deponent, and witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public or commissioner of oaths.

You cannot transfer extra endorsements to your Japanese license, you'll have to take separate tests in order to get those endorsements, particularly for motorcycles. There are different classes of motorcycles in Japan, the basic endorsement is for motorcycles from 50cc to 400cc, and another endorsement is necessary for motorcycles larger than 400cc.

So long as you can prove you were licensed for 6 months or more in the UK (you can use utility bills or official letters and such to prove you resided at a residence for whatever period of time) you should have no problem transferring your license. In my case I hadn't brought any letters with me, but I was able to use a firearm carry permit which was issued to my address 4 years after I got my license to prove that I had lived there for at least 4 years.

It's amazing how picky they can be at the drivers license center, so bring all the paperwork you think you might need.