| OTO No. | 613 | Classification | NPA-21 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of Acceptance | October 25, 2000 | Ministry/Agency Receiving Complaint | Cabinet Office (Economic Planning Agency) | |
| Responsible Ministries | National Police Agency | Related Laws | Road Traffic Law | |
| Complainant | Republic of Korea Embassy in Japan (Proxy complaint) | Exporting Countries | Republic of Korea | |
| Subject | Simplification of procedures for switching from foreign driver's licenses to domestic ones | |||
| Description of Complaint | People who have foreign driver's licenses are required to pass driving aptitude, knowledge and skill tests before switching their licenses to Japanese driver's licenses. For some countries (20 countries including Germany and France), however, driving knowledge and skill tests are exempted and only aptitude tests are required for a switch to Japanese driver's licenses. South Korea is not among these countries. In South Korea, only driving aptitude tests and document examinations are required when Japanese, U.S. nationals, etc. acquire South Korean driver's licenses. Driving knowledge and skill tests for switching driver's licenses have become a great burden on employees and others of South Korean companies in Japan. Therefore, the Japanese government should exempt such people from driving knowledge and skill tests from the viewpoint of promoting investment in Japan and reciprocity. Or, driving skill tests should be exempted as long as drivers have not caused any accidents during a certain period of time. | |||
| Details of Measures |
1. The agency replied as follows: (1) Those who have foreign driver's licenses may be exempted from part (intellectual and skill tests) of the driver's license tests, if it is confirmed that they have no problems with driving vehicles. The confirmation is made by questioning such people on knowledge required for driving vehicles, etc., or on their driving experiences or having them undergo driving skill tests. (2) For countries that are considered to have a driving license system equal to or better than the Japanese system, based on the conditions of occurrence of accidents, education system for drivers and others, those who have acquired diver's licenses there are generally considered capable of driving as safe as or safer than those who have acquired driver's licenses in Japan. Therefore, if it is found after questioning them on their driving experience that there is no problem with their driving, knowledge or skill tests are not required. (3) Since the number of traffic accident deaths per 10,000 vehicles in South Korea is considerably larger than in Japan and the EU countries, South Korea cannot be recognized as having a driving license system that is equal to or better than the Japanese system. Therefore, it is not possible to exempt holders of South Korean driver's licenses from part of driver's license tests without questioning them on knowledge required for driving vehicles and having them undergo driving tests. It is also not appropriate to exempt South Korean driver's license holders who have not caused any accidents during a certain period of time from driving skill tests. 2. The agency forwarded its additional reply at the 16th OTO Grievance Resolution Committee as follows: (1) Basically, regarding skill tests, difficult items (change of direction, parallel parking, driving on the road and slopes) are not required and only skills for ordinary safe driving are tested. The passing rate of skill tests reflects the level of driving skills of those who hold a driver's license of the country concerned. If the rate is low as compared to our country, the country is not considered to have a driving license system equivalent to Japan. Certainly, the conditions of occurrence of accidents in a country is closely related to the driving license system as well as the level of driving skills of the license holders. (2) The accident rate is not always dramatically low for drivers with a high level of driving skills. (3) If a system admitting exemptions for each country is established, the system will be excessively complicated. It was determined that both the agency and the complainant would discuss possible solutions through the Secretariat and draw a conclusion by the next round of the committee. 3. At the 18th OTO Grievance Resolution Committee, the Secretariat explained outcomes obtained through discussion between the agency and complainant as follows: (1) In order to support the adequacy of standards for determining countries subject to exemption from driving knowledge or skill tests, the agency shall collect relevant data and conduct research. (2) In conducting the research, Japan and Korea shall hold study sessions with the participation of those who are concerned of the relevant authorities and the experts of research organizations in both countries participate, to sufficiently examine research matters. |
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| Classification of Processing | Cc | Directions | II-a | |
| Remarks |
A written reply was made on November 8, 2000.
An additional written reply was made on February 5, 2001. Deliberated at the 16th Grievance Resolution Committee on March 23, 2001. Deliberated at the 18th Grievance Resolution Committee on May 14, 2001. |
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