Japan
Part 1: Driving with a Disability
Are there any laws or regulations in your country that restrict whether people with disabilities can obtain a driving licence?
Yes,
Under the Japanese Road Traffic Law, persons with any of the following disabilities cannot obtain a driving license: Persons who cannot sit due to trunk impairment. Persons who have lost all limbs or who have completely lost limb function. Other persons with limb or trunk impairment who do not satisfy cognitive or operational requirements for safe driving (excluding persons who got a restricted driving license to ensure that they drive safely within their abilities)
Are there any restrictions on the type of vehicle or adaptation to controls that can be driven by a person with a disability?
Yes,
If the vehicle is modified so that it can be driven by persons with disabilities, the vehicle must comply with vehicle safety standards, but there are no restrictions on the installation of devices that assist the driving of vehicles driven by persons with disabilities.
If you have answered yes to Question 4 above, do the same restrictions apply to a person with a disability visiting your country in their own or a rented vehicle? Please give details
Yes ,
Same as question 4. If you register and drive your vehicle in Japan, the procedure is the same as above.
Please give details of the section responsible in your Ministry for driver licensing and vehicle adaptations for people with disabilities. Please also include any websites which give details of the official national policy.
Name of Department/Ministry: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; National Police Agency
Name of section responsible: Engineering and Environmental Policy Division, Road Transport Bureau; License Division, Traffic Bureau
email address for queries: [email protected], [email protected]; [email protected]
Phone number for queries: 81-3-5253-8592; 81-3-3581-141
website (s): https://www.mlit.go.jp/en/index.html; https://www.npa.go.jp/index.html
Part 2: Parking Cards for people with a disability
Does your country have a national scheme of parking concessions for people with a disability?
Yes
Which categories of people with a disability are eligible for the parking card? Please tick all that apply
People with walking difficulty,
People with vision impairment,
People with mental health issues, learning disabilities
or other hidden disabilities
Are there parking spaces reserved for people with a disability?
Yes
If you have answered yes, where are the reserved parking spaces? (Please tick all that apply)
On street
What concessions does the parking card give people with a disability? (Please tick all that apply)
Free parking on-street
Are there any regions or cities in your country that do not recognise the parking card, or which have their own, different system?
No
Are the same concessions available to individuals with a disability visiting your country?
Yes
If you have answered yes to Question 13 above, please tell us if there is a formal system of reciprocal recognition of parking cards from other countries?
No
If you have answered yes to Question 14 above please tell us
N/A
Are there minimum dimensions for the size of a parking space reserved for a person with a disability?
Yes,
The size of dedicated parking zones for persons with disabilities is defined in the Order Concerning Road Signs, Demarcation Lines and Road Markings. (1.7m～2.5m×3.5m ～6.5m) Linked URL (in Japanese) https://elaws.egov.go.jp/search/elawsSearch/elaws_search/lsg0500/detail…
Please give details of the section in your ministry responsible for parking concessions for people with a disability
Name of Department/Ministry: National Police Agency
Name of section responsible: Traffic bureau, Traffic Management and Control division
email address for queries: [email protected]
phone number for queries: 81-3-3581-0141
website(s): None
Please include a link to any websites which give details of the official national policy on parking concessions for people with a disability.
https://www.npa.go.jp/bureau/traffic/seibi2/kisei/senyoutyuusya/index.h…
Part 3: Hiring a car if you have a disability
Does your country have any laws which require hire car companies to make adapted vehicles available for people with disabilities to rent?
N/A
Where are such vehicles available? Please tick all that apply
Assistive vehicles allowing wheelchairs to get in and out are available at large hire care companies, and with prior reservations, these can be used at many outlets nationwide.
Please give details of the section responsible in your ministry for laws/policies on adapted hire cars.
Name of ministry: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Name of section responsible: Engineering and Environmental Policy Division, Road Transport Bureau
email address for queries: [email protected], [email protected]
phone number for queries: 81-3-5253-8592
website(s): https://www.mlit.go.jp/en/index.html ; https://english.jaf.or.jp/
Part 4: Follow up
Please give contact details (email, phone, weblinks) for any sections or organisations which have supplied information for your response to this survey if they are not already listed.
Name(s) of sections/organisations: International Policy Division, Policy Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
email(s): [email protected]
phone(s): 81-3-5253-8312
website(s): https://www.mlit.go.jp/