Traffic accidents involving rental cars driven by foreigners on Japanese roads have surpassed levels before the COVID-19 pandemic. As tourists are getting into frequent minor and major crashes on roads with left-hand traffic they are not used to, the Japanese government has moved to craft safety measures.
According to an annual traffic safety report recently released by Japan's Cabinet Office, there were a total of 212 rental car accidents caused by foreign drivers in 2025. That exceeds the 208 cases recorded in 2019, right before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The most common cause was differences in driving direction. An analysis of accident statistics from 2019 to 2023 shows that 1 in 4 accidents (24%) involving foreign drivers occurred while turning right. Considering that the rate of right-turn accidents among Japanese drivers was only 9%, the figure was more than 2.5 times higher.
Nihon Keizai Shimbun analyzed that this was due to an influx of travelers from countries accustomed to right-hand traffic, including Korea. At Naha Airport in Okinawa and Fukuoka Airport, gateways where demand for foreigner-driven rental cars is concentrated, about 80% of departing foreigners were from right-hand traffic countries or regions.
However, compared with overall visitor trends, the accident rate itself has not surged. The number of foreign visitors to Japan in 2025 increased by 33% from 2019, while the number of foreigner-driven rental car accidents rose 1% over the same period.
To curb the rising number of crashes, Japan's transport authorities are hurrying on-site measures. The Japan Tourism Agency plans to conduct a detailed survey within this fiscal year on how foreigners use rental cars and their main travel routes, and to establish tailored safety measures.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will introduce colored guide lines at major intersections connecting airports and key tourist spots to help foreign drivers make safe right turns, and will expand signs outlining key left-hand traffic rules, focusing on areas with many rental car companies.
The Japanese government aims to increase annual foreign tourists to 60 million by 2030, about 40% more than in 2025. Travel to Japan is on the rise. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), 42,683,600 foreigners visited Japan last year. That was up 15.8% from a year earlier, setting a record high and surpassing 42 million for the first time.
Locally, with lodging in major metropolitan areas such as Tokyo and Osaka nearing capacity, there are calls that securing rental car driving safety is essential to invigorate regional tourism. A Japan Tourism Agency official said, "Rental cars are a key means of attracting tourists to hidden gems that are hard to reach by public transportation because of their high mobility."