License Conversion Down 20.4% Year on Year | 60,444 in 2025, Breakdown by License Type and the Impact of the Rule Change
According to the National Police Agency's Driver's License Statistics, 60,444 people obtained a Japanese driver's license through license conversion (gaimen kirikae) in 2025, down 20.4% from 75,905 the year before. The main cause of the decline is the driving skills test, not the knowledge test. In October–December 2025, the pass rate was 42.8% for the knowledge test and 13.1% for the driving skills test. Before the change, in 2024, it was 92.5% against 30.4%, so the driving skills test has consistently been the narrowest gate. For license types that require both tests, the share of people who pass both on the first attempt has fallen to about 5.6%. This article sets out the breakdown by license type and the impact on hiring plans.
