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Traffic Violations and Accidents in Japan: Tickets, Points, and Next Steps
Traffic violations and accidents in Japan are handled on two parallel tracks: points on your license record, and either an infraction fine or a criminal penalty for the same act.12 For drivers, cyclists 16 and over, and e-scooter riders alike, the one rule that matters most after any collision is fixed by law: stop, help anyone injured, and report it to the police on 110.34
Procedures, fees, and requirements can change. Confirm current details at the National Police Agency (警察庁) site and your prefectural police site. This article is general information, not legal or immigration advice; for your specific case, consult a licensed lawyer (bengoshi) for a red ticket, an injury accident, a disputed fault ratio, or a renewal or permanent-residency application after a conviction, or an immigration lawyer or administrative scrivener (gyōseishoshi) for the residence-status side.
Overview
Japan's traffic rules come from one national statute, the 道路交通法 (Dōro Kōtsū Hō, Road Traffic Act), and its Enforcement Order.35 The points table and the infraction-fine schedule apply nationwide.354
Some details are set locally. Each prefectural public safety commission can add rules for drivers and riders, prefectural police run suspension notices and lectures, and bicycle-insurance mandates are prefectural ordinances.367 Throughout this article, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) pages serve as the worked example for nationally uniform figures, and Tokyo-only details are labelled as such.
The terms below recur through the rest of the article.
| Term | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 交通反則通告制度 | kōtsū hansoku tsūkoku seido | Traffic infraction notification system (the blue-ticket system)2 |
| 反則金 | hansokukin | Infraction fine; paying it avoids prosecution2 |
| 交通反則告知書 | kōtsū hansoku kokuchisho | Traffic infraction notice, the "blue ticket"28 |
| 赤切符 | aka-kippu | Red ticket; a criminal-track citation8 |
| 罰金 | bakkin | Criminal fine9 |
| 拘禁刑 | kōkinkei | Confinement, the single custodial sentence in current statutes3 |
| 免許停止 / 免許取消 | menkyo teishi / menkyo torikeshi | License suspension / revocation1011 |
Two tracks: administrative points and criminal penalties
The administrative track runs on points. When your cumulative points over the past 3 years reach set thresholds, the public safety commission suspends or revokes your license.1
The criminal track starts with every violation, but most minor ones are diverted. Under the infraction-fine system, relatively minor, clear-cut violations are treated as 反則行為 (hansoku kōi, infraction acts): if you pay the fixed fine, no prosecution is brought, and if you do not pay within the period, ordinary criminal procedure proceeds.2 Paying the fine means no criminal penalty is imposed for that violation.12
The two tracks run side by side, so paying a fine does not cancel the points. Holding a phone while driving an ordinary car, for example, carries both an ¥18,000 infraction fine (as of 2026-04; confirm current figures with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department) and 3 base points.1314
Some cases never enter the infraction-fine system. Under Road Traffic Act Article 125(2), unlicensed drivers, drivers with alcohol at or above the prescribed level, and drivers whose violation caused a traffic accident are handled through criminal procedure instead.3
The split looks like this:
Who this applies to
The rules cover anyone driving or riding on a public road: holders of a Japanese license, drivers on an International Driving Permit (IDP) or recognized foreign license, cyclists, and e-scooter riders.34
- Japanese license holders are subject to both tracks in full.1
- IDP and foreign-license drivers are subject to the same fines and criminal procedure, and the public safety commission can prohibit driving on that permit (運転禁止, unten kinshi) for up to 5 years, or 3 to 10 years in serious cases.3 International Driving Permit (IDP) Limits and Gaimen Kirikae: Converting a Foreign License cover those permits in depth.
- Cyclists 16 and over have been on the bicycle infraction-fine system since 2026-04-01; violations by under-16s are still handled mostly through guidance and warnings.4
- E-scooter riders (特定小型原動機付自転車, tokutei kogata gendōki-tsuki jitensha, "specified small motorized bicycle") need no license, but riding by anyone under 16 is prohibited, with a penalty of up to 6 months 拘禁刑 or a ¥100,000 fine. These rules have been in force since 2023-07-01.15
How traffic tickets work
A traffic stop in Japan ends with one of three outcomes: a points-only notice, a blue ticket with an infraction fine, or a red ticket that opens criminal procedure. The ticket you receive tells you which track you are on.
White tickets: points only
Some violations carry points but no fine. Seatbelt violations (座席ベルト装着義務違反) and child-restraint violations (幼児用補助装置使用義務違反) each carry 1 base point.14 Neither appears in the infraction-fine schedule (as of 2026-04; confirm current figures with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department), so you pay nothing, but the point still counts toward suspension and toward your next license renewal grade.13116
These points-only notices are commonly called "white tickets" (白切符); that is a press usage rather than a term used on police pages.17
Blue tickets and the infraction-fine system
The blue ticket is the 交通反則告知書, handed to you at the roadside together with a provisional payment slip.28 Paying it closes the matter on the criminal side.
The National Police Agency sets out a two-stage payment window, shown below.218
Payment deadlines
Pay at a bank, shinkin bank, or post office, including simplified post offices.18 The first deadline is 7 days counting from the day after the notice is given.18
Miss it, and the formal notice (通告書, tsūkokusho) comes with a new slip covering the fine plus a delivery charge (送付費用), payable within 10 days.218 In Tokyo, that slip is handed over at the notice center or mailed roughly 40 days later; timing in other prefectures may differ.18 If it still goes unpaid, the case is processed through criminal procedure, or juvenile procedure for minors.18
Typical infraction fines
The schedule is national; the figures below come from the MPD reproduction, updated 2026-04-01.13 All rows are for ordinary roads unless noted.
| Violation | Large vehicle | Ordinary car | Motorcycle | Moped (原付) | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speeding 15–20 km/h over | ¥15,000 | ¥12,000 | ¥9,000 | ¥7,000 | 2026-0413 |
| Speeding 20–25 km/h over | ¥20,000 | ¥15,000 | ¥12,000 | ¥10,000 | 2026-0413 |
| Speeding 25–30 km/h over | ¥25,000 | ¥18,000 | ¥15,000 | ¥12,000 | 2026-0413 |
| Speeding 30–35 km/h over (expressway) | ¥30,000 | ¥25,000 | ¥20,000 | ¥15,000 | 2026-0413 |
| Speeding 35–40 km/h over (expressway) | ¥40,000 | ¥35,000 | ¥30,000 | ¥20,000 | 2026-0413 |
| Phone use while driving (holding) | ¥25,000 | ¥18,000 | ¥15,000 | ¥12,000 | 2026-0413 |
| Ignoring a red signal | ¥12,000 | ¥9,000 | ¥7,000 | ¥6,000 | 2026-0413 |
| Failure to stop at a stop sign | ¥9,000 | ¥7,000 | ¥6,000 | ¥5,000 | 2026-0413 |
| Obstructing pedestrians at a crossing | ¥12,000 | ¥9,000 | ¥7,000 | ¥6,000 | 2026-0413 |
| Parking in a no-parking zone (driver with the vehicle) | ¥12,000 | ¥10,000 | ¥6,000 | ¥6,000 | 2026-0413 |
Treat the table as a snapshot of the national schedule (as of 2026-04-01).13
Red tickets and criminal procedure
A red ticket (赤切符) means the case goes outside the infraction-fine system and into criminal procedure. Unlicensed driving and driving with alcohol are excluded from the fine system by statute.3
For serious speeding, the red-ticket line is inferred from the published tables rather than stated on them. The fine schedule stops below 30 km/h over on ordinary roads and below 40 km/h over on expressways, while the points table gives speeding at or above those levels 6 base points (12 at 50 km/h or more over) (as of 2026-04).1314
Phone use that causes traffic danger (携帯電話使用等・交通の危険) is also off the fine system: up to 1 year 拘禁刑 or a ¥300,000 fine, and 6 base points.19
Summary proceedings and the criminal fine
A red-ticket case can be handled through 略式裁判 (ryakushiki saiban, summary proceedings). On the prosecutor's request, and if you do not object, a summary court decides on the papers without a public hearing; the procedure is limited to cases punishable by a fine of ¥1,000,000 or less.9
You may request a formal trial within 14 days of receiving the summary order.9
Paying, declining to sign, and disputing a ticket
You pay an infraction fine at a bank or post office counter with the payment slip, never at the enforcement site.2218
Officers will ask you to sign and seal (or fingerprint) the statement section of the ticket. That request is voluntary, and signing is not compulsory.223
Accepting the infraction-fine procedure itself is also your choice. If you refuse the procedure and do not pay, the case is sent to the public prosecutor (or the family court for minors).23 If you dispute the facts of a blue ticket, or you are facing a red ticket, that is the point at which a lawyer's view is worth having.
The points system and license suspension
Points, called 違反点数 (ihan tensū), are the administrative side of every violation. They decide whether you keep driving, and they are counted the same way whether or not you paid a fine.
How points accumulate
Points are totalled over the past 3 years. There are three kinds: base points (基礎点数, kiso tensū) for general violations, base points for specified violations (特定違反行為, such as drink driving and hit-and-run), and added points (付加点数, fuka tensū) for causing an accident or leaving the scene.1
With no prior administrative sanction in the last 3 years, 6–14 points leads to suspension and 15 points or more to revocation.1
Selected base points
The point values are fixed in the Enforcement Order's appendix table and reproduced by the MPD.2414
| Violation | Base points |
|---|---|
| 酒酔い運転 (sake-yoi unten, drunk driving) | 3514 |
| 酒気帯び運転 (shuki-obi unten), 0.25 mg/L breath or more | 2514 |
| 酒気帯び運転, under 0.25 mg/L | 1314 |
| Unlicensed driving | 2514 |
| 妨害運転 (road rage): significant danger / risk of danger | 35 / 2514 |
| Speeding 50 km/h or more over | 1214 |
| Speeding 30 (expressway 40) to under 50 km/h over | 614 |
| Speeding 25 to under 30 (expressway 40) km/h over | 314 |
| Speeding 20 to under 25 km/h over | 214 |
| Speeding under 20 km/h over | 114 |
| Phone use causing danger / holding | 6 / 314 |
| Red signal, stop sign, crosswalk obstruction | 2 each14 |
| Parking in a no-parking zone: driver with the vehicle / vehicle left unattended | 1 / 214 |
| Seatbelt; child restraint | 1 each14 |
| 安全運転義務違反 (failure of the safe-driving duty) | 214 |
Accident added points
If a violation causes an accident, added points stack on top of the base points. The figure depends on the most seriously injured person's treatment period and on whether you were solely at fault.25
| Accident | Driver solely at fault | Other cases |
|---|---|---|
| Fatal | 2025 | 1325 |
| Injury, treatment 3 months or more, or permanent disability | 1325 | 925 |
| Injury, treatment 30 days to under 3 months | 925 | 625 |
| Injury, treatment 15 to under 30 days | 625 | 425 |
| Injury, treatment under 15 days, or damage to a building | 325 | 225 |
Clean-driving rules that stop points adding up
Two rules keep old points from counting against you.26
- One clean year: if you go 1 year or more without an accident, violation, or sanction between one violation and the next (excluding any suspension or lapsed period), earlier points are not added.
- Two clean years plus a minor slip: after 2 years or more clean, a 1-, 2-, or 3-point violation followed by 3 months or more clean is not added.
The points stop counting, but the violation itself stays on record.26
Suspension and revocation thresholds
The thresholds drop sharply with each prior sanction, called 前歴 (zenreki, prior administrative-sanction history).24 The common claim that "6 points means a 30-day suspension" is true only for a driver with no 前歴.
Suspension periods by prior history
The point thresholds below come from the Enforcement Order; the suspension lengths come from the National Police Agency's disposition standard (as of 2026-10; confirm current figures with the National Police Agency).2411
| Prior sanctions (前歴) | Points | Suspension |
|---|---|---|
| None | 6–8 | 30 days24 |
| None | 9–11 | 60 days24 |
| None | 12–14 | 90 days24 |
| 1 | 4–5 | 60 days24 |
| 1 | 6–7 | 90 days24 |
| 1 | 8–9 | 120 days24 |
| 2 | 2 | 90 days24 |
| 2 | 3 | 120 days24 |
| 2 | 4 | 150 days24 |
| 3 | 2 | 120 days24 |
| 3 | 3 | 150 days24 |
| 4 or more | 2 | 150 days24 |
| 4 or more | 3 | 180 days24 |
When your points reach a suspension threshold, an administrative-disposition appearance notice (行政処分出頭通知書, gyōsei shobun shuttō tsūchisho) arrives by mail. Suspensions come in six lengths: 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 days.10
Revocation thresholds and disqualification periods
Revocation comes with a 欠格期間 (kekkaku kikan, disqualification period) during which you cannot get a new license. For general violations, the MPD reproduction of the Enforcement Order table sets these bands.11
| Prior sanctions (前歴) | 1 year | 2 years | 3 years | 4 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | 15–24 pts11 | 25–3411 | 35–3911 | 40–4411 | 45+11 |
| 1 | 10–1911 | 20–2911 | 30–3411 | 35–3911 | 40+11 |
| 2 | 5–1411 | 15–2411 | 25–2911 | 30–3411 | 35+11 |
| 3 or more | 4–911 | 10–1911 | 20–2411 | 25–2911 | 30+11 |
The MPD table also shows longer periods in parentheses that apply in certain repeat-revocation cases.11 Specified violations, such as drink or drug driving, dangerous driving causing death or injury, and hit-and-run, use a separate table with disqualification periods of up to 10 years.11
Suspension lectures and reductions
A suspended driver may attend a 停止処分者講習 (teishi shobunsha kōshū, suspension lecture). How much the suspension is shortened depends on your test result at the end.10
Lectures are run by each prefectural police force, so formats and fees vary. In Tokyo, the short course for suspensions of 39 days or less is one 6-hour day with a fee of ¥11,700 paid on the day (as of 2022-06); it shortens a 30-day suspension by 20–29 days depending on results, and poor results may mean no reduction.6 Longer suspensions have their own mid-term and long-term courses; check your prefectural police site for those details.6
Driving on an IDP or foreign license
Points work differently when you do not hold a Japanese license. If you meet the disposition criteria, the public safety commission can prohibit you from driving on that permit (運転禁止) for up to 5 years under Road Traffic Act Article 107-5(1), or 3 to 10 years in the serious cases covered by Article 107-5(2).3
While prohibited, you must surrender the permit; it is returned when the prohibition ends or when you leave Japan.3 For prohibitions of up to 6 months, the National Police Agency's standard applies the same points-based table used for suspensions (as of 2026-10).24
If you plan to convert to a Japanese license later, Gaimen Kirikae: Converting a Foreign License covers that procedure.
Effect on your gold license and insurance
The gold license (優良運転者, yūryō untensha, "good driver") requires no violation in the 5 years before the reference date, which is 40 days before the birthday preceding expiry.16
A driver with only one minor violation of 3 points or less in those 5 years, and no injury accident, renews as a general driver on a 5-year blue license. Anyone else renews on a 3-year blue license.16 So any points-bearing violation inside the window costs you the gold license at your next renewal, including a 1-point seatbelt notice.1614
License Renewal and the Gold-License Bonus covers the renewal side.
Voluntary car insurance runs on a separate scale. The non-fleet grade (ノンフリート等級, non-furīto tōkyū) moves on claims: up 1 grade for each claim-free year and down 3 grades for each accident claim, with no link to license points.27 Ask your insurer how your own policy treats license color, since that is a matter of each insurer's product terms.
Common violations and enforcement
Most of the violations below carry both a fine (or criminal penalty) and points.
Speeding thresholds and the residential speed-limit change
The blue-ticket and red-ticket ranges for speeding are set out in the fee schedule and the red-ticket section above.1314 The bigger change for residents in 2026 is the default limit on narrow neighborhood roads.
Since 2026-09-01, the legal maximum speed for cars and mopeds on 生活道路 (seikatsu dōro, residential roads) has been 30 km/h, down from 60 km/h.28 This applies to roads without a center line or lane markings.
The 60 km/h default still applies on:28
- roads with a center line or lanes;
- roads with a median separating the two directions;
- expressway main lanes and their acceleration and deceleration lanes;
- motor-vehicle-only roads.
Where a sign or road marking posts a maximum speed, the posted speed applies, not the legal default.28
Parking violations and owner liability
If you park and leave a vehicle illegally and the driver does not come forward, the case moves to the registered vehicle user. The public safety commission first sends a notice giving an opportunity to explain (弁明通知書, benmei tsūchisho), then an order to pay the 放置違反金 (hōchi ihankin, abandoned-parking penalty).29
Because the penalty falls on the vehicle user, no license points are added. A driver who does come forward and is ticketed gets both the infraction fine and the points instead.30
Unpaid penalties are collected compulsorily, for example by seizure, and repeat offenders' vehicles can be placed under a use-restriction order.30 If you have been sent a demand for an unpaid 放置違反金, your vehicle inspection certificate will not be returned at shaken (the periodic vehicle inspection) until you show proof of payment.31
Phone use while driving
The amended Road Traffic Act in force from December 2019 strengthened the penalties for ながら運転 (nagara unten, distracted driving).19 The rule is in Article 71(5-5): while a car, moped, or bicycle is moving, you may not use a phone for calls or watch an image on a display device.3
| Offense | Criminal ceiling | Infraction fine | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holding a phone | 6 months 拘禁刑 or ¥100,00019 | ¥25,000 large / ¥18,000 ordinary / ¥15,000 motorcycle / ¥12,000 moped / ¥12,000 bicycle19 | 319 |
| Phone use causing traffic danger | 1 year 拘禁刑 or ¥300,00019 | None: criminal track only19 | 619 |
The infraction fines in this table are as of 2026-10 (confirm current figures with the National Police Agency).19
Pedestrian crossings, seatbelts, and child seats
Article 38(1) requires you to approach a crosswalk at a speed that lets you stop before it, and to stop and not obstruct when a pedestrian is crossing or about to cross.3 Obstructing a pedestrian at a crossing costs ¥9,000 for an ordinary car (as of 2026-04) and 2 points.1314
Seatbelts are required in every seat fitted with one. Under Article 71-3(1)–(2), the driver must wear a belt and must not drive with passengers who are not wearing theirs, subject to Cabinet Order exceptions.3
A child under 6 must use a child restraint, again subject to exceptions.3 Seatbelt and child-restraint violations each carry 1 point and no fine, as covered under white tickets above.1413
Drink-driving penalties
Drink driving is never on the infraction-fine system. It goes to criminal procedure every time, and the people around the driver can be prosecuted too.332
The two offense levels and the thresholds
The law separates two offenses. 酒気帯び運転 (shuki-obi unten) is driving with alcohol at or above a fixed threshold: 0.15 mg per liter of breath, or 0.3 mg per mL of blood, under Enforcement Order Article 44-3.5
酒酔い運転 (sake-yoi unten) is the more serious offense. Under the current text of Road Traffic Act Article 117-2(1)(1), it covers holding 0.5 mg or more of alcohol per liter of breath (1.0 mg or more per mL of blood), or any other state in which alcohol may prevent you from driving normally.332
| Offense | Threshold | Criminal penalty ceiling | Base points | Administrative outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 酒酔い運転 | 0.5 mg/L breath (1.0 mg/mL blood) or more, or impairment | 5 years 拘禁刑 or ¥1,000,000332 | 3514 | Revocation, 3-year disqualification32 |
| 酒気帯び運転, higher band | 0.25 mg/L breath or more | 3 years 拘禁刑 or ¥500,00032 | 2514 | Revocation, 2-year disqualification32 |
| 酒気帯び運転, lower band | 0.15 to under 0.25 mg/L breath | 3 years 拘禁刑 or ¥500,00032 | 1314 | 90-day suspension32 |
Passenger, car-lender, and alcohol-supplier liability
Article 65 extends the ban beyond the driver.3
- Vehicle providers: no one may provide a vehicle to a person who has been drinking and is likely to drive.
- Alcohol suppliers: no one may serve alcohol to, or urge drinking on, a person likely to drive in violation.
- Passengers: no one may ask a driver they know has been drinking to drive them, and ride in that vehicle.
These penalties apply only when the driver actually drives under the influence. The supplier provision covers cases where the person served then drove, and the passenger provision requires that you knew the driver had been drinking.3 It is not a blanket rule against anyone who served a drink.
| Who | If the driver was 酒酔い | If the driver was 酒気帯び |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle provider | 5 years 拘禁刑 or ¥1,000,00032 | 3 years 拘禁刑 or ¥500,00032 |
| Alcohol supplier or passenger | 3 years 拘禁刑 or ¥500,00032 | 2 years 拘禁刑 or ¥300,00032 |
Bicycles are covered too. Since 2024-11-01, riding a bicycle at the 酒気帯び level is punishable by up to 3 years 拘禁刑 or ¥500,000; the person who provided the bicycle faces the same, and the alcohol supplier and passenger face up to 2 years or ¥300,000.333
Cyclists and e-scooters: fines and the 2026 bicycle blue-ticket system
Cyclists and e-scooter riders joined the infraction-fine system at different times. E-scooters (特定小型原動機付自転車) have been on both the infraction-fine system and the abandoned-parking penalty system since their rules took effect on 2023-07-01; the April 2026 change applies to bicycles only.15
Prefectural public safety commissions can also order e-scooter riders who repeat listed dangerous acts to attend a lecture, and refusing carries a fine of up to ¥50,000.15 Rules of the Road for Bicyclists and Electric Kick Scooters in Japan: Rules, Ownership, and LUUP cover the riding rules themselves.
How the bicycle blue-ticket system works
The bicycle blue-ticket system has been in force since 2026-04-01 for riders 16 and over. The rules of the road did not change; only the way violations are enforced did.48
Police generally start with on-the-spot guidance and warnings. A ticket is issued when a rider ignores a warning, creates concrete danger to vehicles or pedestrians, or rides in a directly accident-causing way.348
The criminal (red-ticket) track still applies to drink riding at either level, obstructive riding (妨害運転), phone use that causes traffic danger, and violations that cause accidents.348 Phone use while cycling has carried up to 6 months 拘禁刑 or ¥100,000 since 2024-11-01, rising to 1 year or ¥300,000 if it causes danger.33
No points, but a lecture and a possible license suspension
Bicycle violations add no points to your driver's license. For especially dangerous violations such as drink riding, however, your driver's license can still be suspended.228
Riders 14 and over who are caught two or more times within 3 years for any of 16 listed dangerous acts, or who cause an accident, can be ordered by the prefectural public safety commission to attend a bicycle-rider lecture (自転車運転者講習, jitensha untensha kōshū).8
Typical bicycle and e-scooter fines
Bicycle infraction fines run from ¥3,000 to ¥12,000 (as of 2026-04; confirm current figures with your prefectural police).835
| Bicycle violation | Infraction fine | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Phone use (holding) | ¥12,000 | 2026-04835 |
| Entering a closed level crossing | ¥7,000 | 2026-048 |
| Ignoring a red signal | ¥6,000 (flashing signal: ¥5,000) | 2026-048 |
| Riding on the right side of the road (右側通行) | ¥6,000 | 2026-04835 |
| Obstructing pedestrians at a crossing | ¥6,000 | 2026-0435 |
| Failure to stop at a stop sign | ¥5,000 | 2026-04835 |
| Faulty brakes | ¥5,000 | 2026-048 |
| No lights (無灯火) | ¥5,000 | 2026-0435 |
| Umbrella while riding | ¥5,000 | 2026-0435 |
| Earphone use | ¥5,000 | 2026-0435 |
| Two-up riding (定員外乗車) | ¥3,000 | 2026-0435 |
| Riding side by side (並進) | ¥3,000 | 2026-0435 |
| Failing to ride slowly on a sidewalk (歩道徐行等義務違反) | ¥3,000 | 2026-0435 |
Umbrella and earphone rules are commonly set by prefectural public safety commissions under Article 71(6), so their wording can differ by prefecture; the Osaka list gives the fines without naming the legal basis.335
E-scooter riders pay infraction fines under the same blue-ticket system that has covered them since 2023-07-01.15 Check your prefectural police site for the e-scooter amounts.
What changed for drivers passing cyclists
Since 2026-04-01, an amended Article 18 governs passing cyclists.336 When a vehicle passes on the right of a bicycle or e-scooter traveling in the same direction on the road (not on a sidewalk or cycle track) without sufficient clearance, the driver must proceed at a speed that is safe for the clearance available. The cyclist or e-scooter rider, in turn, must keep as far left as possible.3
The statute does not set a number. Prefectural police guidance gives about 1 m of clearance as a rule of thumb, and about 20–30 km/h when 1 m cannot be secured (as of 2026-04); what is actually required varies with traffic conditions.37
What to do after an accident
After any accident, the law requires the same core sequence regardless of how minor it seems.338
At the scene: stop, make safe, help the injured
Article 72(1) requires every driver and crew member involved in an accident to stop immediately, help the injured, and take steps to prevent further road hazards.3 Call an ambulance on 119 if anyone is hurt; Japan Emergency Numbers: 110, 119, #7119, #8000, and 118 lists the other numbers.38
On an expressway, if your vehicle cannot move, you must display that it is stopped due to a breakdown or similar, in the manner prescribed by Cabinet Order (Article 75-11(1)).3
| Failure | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|
| Failing to stop and aid where someone is killed or injured | 5 years 拘禁刑 or ¥500,000 (Art 117(1))3 |
| Same, where your driving caused the death or injury | 10 years 拘禁刑 or ¥1,000,000 (Art 117(2))3 |
| Failing to take hazard-prevention steps in a property-only accident | 1 year 拘禁刑 or ¥100,000 (Art 117-5(1)(1))3 |
Report to the police, even for minor contact
The same article requires you to report the accident to the police. The report covers the date, time, and place; the casualties and the degree of injury; the damaged property and degree of damage; the vehicle's load; and the measures you have taken.3
Failing to report carries up to 3 months 拘禁刑 or a ¥50,000 fine (Article 119(1)(17)).3 This applies even to a property-only accident with no injuries.39
If you need an interpreter on the call, 110 in Japan: Calling the Police and Emergency Language Help in Japan: Interpreters explain the options.
Exchange details and record evidence
The General Insurance Association of Japan's guidance lists what to collect before you leave the scene.38
- The other party: name, address, contact details, insurer name and policy number, employer, and vehicle registration number.
- The scene: date, time, place, weather, road conditions, visibility, traffic, and signal status.
- The damage and evidence: vehicle damage, any dashcam (ドライブレコーダー) footage, and the names and contacts of witnesses.
Do not negotiate a settlement or exchange money at the scene. A settlement can be concluded verbally and cannot then be changed if new damage appears later.38
Notify your insurer
Contact your insurer's accident desk or your agent as soon as you can.38 Under an insurer's settlement-negotiation service (示談交渉サービス), the insurer negotiates with the other side on your behalf.41 Compulsory and Voluntary Auto Insurance explains how the two layers of cover fit together.
Injury accident vs property-damage-only report
Police record an accident either as a 人身事故 (jinshin jiko, injury accident) or a 物損事故 (busson jiko, property-damage accident).42 The classification matters for points: added accident points are graded by the injured person's treatment period, and a property-only accident adds them only where a building is damaged.25
See a doctor promptly if you might be hurt. Delayed treatment can make it impossible to establish that an injury came from the accident.38
Going to a hospital does not by itself turn the case into an injury accident. Hyogo Prefectural Police describe the process: get a medical certificate (診断書, shindansho) and apply at the accident section of the police station with jurisdiction over the accident site.42 Procedures can differ by prefecture, so confirm with that station.
Osaka Prefectural Police note that once a medical certificate is submitted, police will not drop the injury-accident investigation because of a civil settlement, and the certificate is forwarded to the prosecutor and cannot be withdrawn.43
Getting the traffic accident certificate
The 交通事故証明書 (kōtsū jiko shōmeisho, traffic accident certificate) is issued by the 自動車安全運転センター (Jidōsha Anzen Unten Sentā, Japan Safe Driving Center), not by the police box, and only for accidents that were reported to the police.40 Insurer guidance warns that going without one can cause problems later.38
The parties can apply, as can people with a legitimate interest, such as relatives with a damages claim or insurance beneficiaries.40
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| How to apply | Postal transfer form at a post office, online, or at a Center office counter40 |
| Fee | ¥1,000 per copy (tax-exempt), plus the post-office transfer charge; online applications add ¥143 per copy40 |
| Deadline, injury accidents | 5 years from the accident40 |
| Deadline, property-damage accidents | 3 years from the accident40 |
The fee is ¥1,000 per copy as of 2026-10 (confirm current figures with the Japan Safe Driving Center, the issuing body).40
Fault ratio and settlement
When both parties bear some fault, each pays damages in proportion to their share. That split, the fault ratio, decides how much each side pays and receives.44
How the fault ratio is decided
The 過失割合 (kashitsu wariai, fault ratio) divides damages in proportion to each party's fault. In practice, it is set from standard patterns based on case law (published in 別冊判例タイムズ No. 38), then moved up or down by adjustment factors (修正要素, shūsei yōso).44
The Japan Federation of Bar Associations' traffic-accident consultation center describes the underlying logic: right-of-way under the Road Traffic Act, how foreseeable and avoidable the accident was, and extra protection for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians.45
If you bear no fault at all (a もらい事故, morai jiko), your own liability cover does not apply, so your insurer's settlement-negotiation service cannot be used. You negotiate directly with the other side or hire a lawyer.41
Settlement and when to bring in a lawyer
The usual endpoint is a 示談 (jidan, out-of-court settlement).38 If you disagree with the proposed fault ratio, three bodies handle disputes: the そんぽADRセンター (the non-life insurance industry's dispute-resolution center), the 日弁連交通事故相談センター (Japan Federation of Bar Associations Traffic Accident Consultation Center), and the 交通事故紛争処理センター (Traffic Accident Dispute Resolution Center).44
The Japan Federation of Bar Associations center offers free consultations by phone (about 10 minutes) and in person (up to 30 minutes, up to 5 sessions per case), plus out-of-court settlement mediation (示談あっ旋) (as of 2026-10; confirm current figures with the Japan Federation of Bar Associations Traffic Accident Consultation Center).45
A 弁護士費用特約 (bengoshi hiyō tokuyaku, lawyer-fee rider) on your own policy reduces the cost of hiring a lawyer, and you can use it whether or not you bear any fault.41 Hoterasu: The Legal-Aid Center and Finding a Bilingual Practitioner in Japan cover other routes to a lawyer.
When the other party is uninsured or unknown
For hit-and-run and uninsured-vehicle accidents, the 政府保障事業 (seifu hoshō jigyō, government guarantee scheme) compensates victims to the same standards as compulsory (自賠責, jibaiseki) insurance. Claims are filed at branch offices of non-life insurers, not at insurance agents. The scheme's page describes compensation for death and injury; it does not address property damage.46
If the at-fault party is uninsured, the options are your own personal-injury (人身傷害) cover or other insurance, a claim on the government scheme, direct negotiation, or a lawyer.47
When a cyclist causes the injury, bicycle liability insurance is the relevant cover. Currently 34 prefectures make bicycle liability insurance mandatory by ordinance and 10 make it an effort obligation (as of 2024-04).7 Bicycle Insurance: The Mandatory Coverage explains what that cover pays.
Residence status and visa consequences
A traffic case can affect your residence status, and how much depends on which track it went down. The position differs by status of residence, not by nationality.484950
Minor violations and the conduct review
A paid infraction fine closes the case without prosecution, so it is not a criminal penalty.212
That does not make it invisible. The Immigration Services Agency's permanent residence guideline, revised 2026-02-24, defines "good conduct" as obeying the law and living without social reproach, including not having received fines or confinement sentences (as of 2026-02; confirm current figures with the Immigration Services Agency).20
Immigration-practitioner guidance notes that even blue-ticket violations can count against the good-conduct requirement when repeated within a short period, and there is no fixed acceptable number.21 Common Permanent Residency Rejection Causes covers the wider review.
Criminal convictions and renewals
The guideline for renewals and changes of status assesses conduct negatively where the applicant received a criminal disposition comparable to a deportation ground, or did something immigration administration cannot overlook (as of 2026-06).51 Extension of Period of Stay covers the renewal procedure.
For permanent residency, the same practitioner guidance says a criminal fine generally blocks an application while the requirement is unmet. Five years is treated as a benchmark, not an automatic pass.21
Deportation thresholds
Immigration Control Act Article 24 applies to all foreign nationals, with no carve-out for permanent residents. Under item (4)(ri), a person sentenced to life or to more than 1 year of 拘禁刑 is deportable.48
Two exceptions apply: a wholly suspended sentence, and a partially suspended sentence whose unsuspended part is 1 year or less.48
Special permanent residents are in a different position. They are deportable only if sentenced to life or more than 7 years of 拘禁刑 and the Minister of Justice finds the crime harmed Japan's vital interests.49
New permanent-residency revocation grounds
New grounds for revoking permanent residence (Article 22-4(1)(8)–(9), added by the 2024 amendment) take effect on 2027-04-01, so they are not in force (as of 2026-10).50
The Immigration Services Agency issued its guideline for these grounds on 2026-10-01. Under it, item 9 covers confinement sentences for listed intentional crimes, including dangerous driving causing death or injury (危険運転致死傷), regardless of sentence length and including suspended sentences (as of 2026-10).52
Even when a ground applies, the guideline says the Minister is to grant another status, in most cases 定住者 (teijūsha, long-term resident), unless continued residence is inappropriate.52 Item 9 covers intentional crimes only, so the list does not include ordinary Road Traffic Act offenses or negligent driving causing death or injury.52
If you are arrested
Serious accidents and drink driving can lead to arrest. The Code of Criminal Procedure sets a fixed clock from that point, shown below.53
The police must send you to the prosecutor within 48 hours (Article 203(1)), and the prosecutor must request detention within 24 hours of receiving you and within 72 hours of arrest (Article 205).53 Detention (勾留, kōryū) lasts up to 10 days and can be extended by a judge by up to 10 more days in total (Article 208), which gives the commonly cited 23-day maximum before charging.53
The 23-Day Detention System and Foreign-Resident Rights explains your rights during that period.
Good to know
Never settle in cash at the roadside
Insurers advise against negotiating or handing over money at the scene. A verbal settlement is binding, and damage discovered later may go uncompensated.38 It also does nothing to replace the police report that the law requires.3
"Minor" contact can still be a hit-and-run
Leaving after the other party says they are fine, without reporting, can turn the case into a ひき逃げ (hikinige, hit-and-run with injury) or 当て逃げ (atenige, hit-and-run with property damage only).39
The statutory ceilings are steep: up to 5 years for failing to aid someone injured (10 years if your driving caused the injury), up to 1 year for failing to take measures in a property-only accident, and up to 3 months for failing to report.3
Fines are never paid to the officer
Infraction fines are paid at a bank or post office with the payment slip, not at the enforcement site.2218 Anyone demanding cash at the roadside is not following the official procedure.
Some rules depend on your prefecture
Article 71(6) lets each prefectural public safety commission set additional rules. Bicycle umbrella and earphone fines (¥5,000 each in Osaka's list) are the common example, though the Osaka page does not name the legal basis.335
Bicycle liability insurance is mandatory in 34 prefectures and an effort obligation in 10 (as of 2024-04; confirm current figures with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism).7 Suspension-lecture fees and procedures are also set by each prefectural police force; Tokyo's short course costs ¥11,700 (as of 2022-06).6
Dashcams settle disputes
Insurer guidance lists dashcam footage among the evidence to secure after an accident.38 Fault ratios turn on adjustment factors that depend on facts such as the signal state, which footage can establish.44
Rental cars and company cars
With a rental car, failing to call both the police and the rental company straight away, however small the damage, can mean the insurance is denied.54 Rental operators also charge a non-operation charge (NOC) to cover lost business while the car is repaired; the National Consumer Affairs Center reports a ¥20,000 charge even with a full-cover plan (as of 2025-03).54
Abandoned-parking penalties fall on the registered vehicle user if the driver does not come forward, and unpaid penalties block shaken.2931 On a rental or company car, read the agreement or your employer's rules for how parking penalties and accidents are handled.
See also
- Filing a Police Report in Japan
- Taking the Japanese Driver's License from Scratch
- Bengoshi, Gyoseishoshi, Shiho-shoshi, and Zeirishi: Who Does What
- Shaken: The Mandatory Biennial Inspection
- After Permanent Residency: Renewal, Revocation, Maintenance
- Long-Term Resident: Japan's Quasi-PR Status