{ "openapi": "3.1.0", "info": { "title": "Japan Driving Check API", "version": "1.0.0", "description": "Can I drive in Japan on my license? Check whether your country needs a Geneva IDP or a Japanese translation (or can't drive at all), your exact last driving day under the 1-year and 3-month rules, and whether you can convert to a Japanese license (外免切替) after the 2025-10-01 changes.\n\nFree, no API key, CORS open. Fair use: about 120 requests per minute per IP. Also available as MCP tools at https://free-agent-tools.vercel.app/mcp" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://japan-driving-check.vercel.app" } ], "paths": { "/api/check": { "get": { "operationId": "japanDrivingCheck", "summary": "Can this person drive in Japan on their foreign license (Geneva IDP or Japanese translation), until which date, and can they convert it to a Japanese license (外免切替) with or without tests?", "description": "Applies Road Traffic Act art. 107-2 / 97-2 as described by NPA and the Tokyo police (rules as of 2026-10-27, Geneva list as of May 2026): which document a license from this country needs (1949 Geneva IDP, or a Japanese translation for Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan, or none), the 1-year-from-landing period capped by the IDP's 1-year validity and the license expiry, the residents' 3-month rule for trips abroad, and 外免切替 eligibility (住民票 required since 2025-10-01, 3+ months in the issuing country, test exemptions incl. US states, 50-question knowledge check, Tokyo fees, reported pass rates). Returns verdict (can_drive | not_yet | expired | need_document | not_valid | unclear), headline, summary, howToDrive, period {countStart, lastDay, daysLeft, limits, restarts}, conversion {canApply, blockers, tests, documents, fees, notes}, steps, warnings, sources, rulesAsOf and disclaimer.\n\nExample: https://japan-driving-check.vercel.app/api/check?country=US&usState=CA&document=idp&entryDate=2026-11-01&idpIssueDate=2026-06-15", "parameters": [ { "name": "country", "in": "query", "required": true, "description": "Country/region that issued the driver's license: ISO code (US, GB, CN, TW, DE, HK…) or English/Japanese name.", "schema": { "type": "string", "description": "Country/region that issued the driver's license: ISO code (US, GB, CN, TW, DE, HK…) or English/Japanese name." } }, { "name": "usState", "in": "query", "required": false, "description": "US licenses: issuing state code (WA, HI, OH… matter for conversion tests).", "schema": { "type": "string", "description": "US licenses: issuing state code (WA, HI, OH… matter for conversion tests)." } }, { "name": "document", "in": "query", "required": false, "description": "What the driver holds: idp | translation | license_only | japanese_license | auto (tell me what's needed).", "schema": { "type": "string", "description": "What the driver holds: idp | translation | license_only | japanese_license | auto (tell me what's needed).", "enum": [ "auto", "idp", "translation", "license_only", "japanese_license" ], "default": "auto" } }, { "name": "residency", "in": "query", "required": false, "description": "visitor (tourist/short-term), resident (residence card, on 住民票), japanese_abroad.", "schema": { "type": "string", "description": "visitor (tourist/short-term), resident (residence card, on 住民票), japanese_abroad.", "enum": [ "visitor", "resident", "japanese_abroad" ], "default": "visitor" } }, { "name": "entryDate", "in": "query", "required": false, "description": "YYYY-MM-DD landing date in Japan (residents: the landing that started the count).", "schema": { "type": "string", "description": "YYYY-MM-DD landing date in Japan (residents: the landing that started the count)." } }, { "name": "trips", "in": "query", "required": false, "description": "Residents: trips abroad since entryDate as left_returned pairs, comma separated, e.g. 2026-08-01_2026-09-10 (3-month rule).", "schema": { "type": "string", "description": "Residents: trips abroad since entryDate as left_returned pairs, comma separated, e.g. 2026-08-01_2026-09-10 (3-month rule)." } }, { "name": "idpIssueDate", "in": "query", "required": false, "description": "YYYY-MM-DD date the IDP was issued (valid 1 year).", "schema": { "type": "string", "description": "YYYY-MM-DD date the IDP was issued (valid 1 year)." } }, { "name": "licenseExpiry", "in": "query", "required": false, "description": "YYYY-MM-DD expiry of the home license.", "schema": { "type": "string", "description": "YYYY-MM-DD expiry of the home license." } }, { "name": "monthsInIssuingCountry", "in": "query", "required": false, "description": "Conversion: total months spent in the issuing country after getting the license (3+ needed).", "schema": { "type": "number", "description": "Conversion: total months spent in the issuing country after getting the license (3+ needed)." } }, { "name": "age", "in": "query", "required": false, "description": "Driver's age (ordinary license from 18; apply from 17.5).", "schema": { "type": "number", "description": "Driver's age (ordinary license from 18; apply from 17.5)." } }, { "name": "today", "in": "query", "required": false, "description": "YYYY-MM-DD date to check (default: today in Japan).", "schema": { "type": "string", "description": "YYYY-MM-DD date to check (default: today in Japan)." } } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "Result as JSON. Always includes a `disclaimer` field.", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "type": "object", "additionalProperties": true } } } }, "400": { "description": "Missing or invalid input. The body explains what to send and gives an example." }, "429": { "description": "Too many requests from one IP. Retry after the Retry-After seconds." } } }, "post": { "operationId": "japanDrivingCheckPost", "summary": "Can this person drive in Japan on their foreign license (Geneva IDP or Japanese translation), until which date, and can they convert it to a Japanese license (外免切替) with or without tests? (JSON body)", "description": "Applies Road Traffic Act art. 107-2 / 97-2 as described by NPA and the Tokyo police (rules as of 2026-10-27, Geneva list as of May 2026): which document a license from this country needs (1949 Geneva IDP, or a Japanese translation for Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan, or none), the 1-year-from-landing period capped by the IDP's 1-year validity and the license expiry, the residents' 3-month rule for trips abroad, and 外免切替 eligibility (住民票 required since 2025-10-01, 3+ months in the issuing country, test exemptions incl. US states, 50-question knowledge check, Tokyo fees, reported pass rates). Returns verdict (can_drive | not_yet | expired | need_document | not_valid | unclear), headline, summary, howToDrive, period {countStart, lastDay, daysLeft, limits, restarts}, conversion {canApply, blockers, tests, documents, fees, notes}, steps, warnings, sources, rulesAsOf and disclaimer.", "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "country" ], "properties": { "country": { "type": "string", "description": "Country/region that issued the driver's license: ISO code (US, GB, CN, TW, DE, HK…) or English/Japanese name." }, "usState": { "type": "string", "description": "US licenses: issuing state code (WA, HI, OH… matter for conversion tests)." }, "document": { "type": "string", "description": "What the driver holds: idp | translation | license_only | japanese_license | auto (tell me what's needed).", "enum": [ "auto", "idp", "translation", "license_only", "japanese_license" ], "default": "auto" }, "residency": { "type": "string", "description": "visitor (tourist/short-term), resident (residence card, on 住民票), japanese_abroad.", "enum": [ "visitor", "resident", "japanese_abroad" ], "default": "visitor" }, "entryDate": { "type": "string", "description": "YYYY-MM-DD landing date in Japan (residents: the landing that started the count)." }, "trips": { "type": "string", "description": "Residents: trips abroad since entryDate as left_returned pairs, comma separated, e.g. 2026-08-01_2026-09-10 (3-month rule)." }, "idpIssueDate": { "type": "string", "description": "YYYY-MM-DD date the IDP was issued (valid 1 year)." }, "licenseExpiry": { "type": "string", "description": "YYYY-MM-DD expiry of the home license." }, "monthsInIssuingCountry": { "type": "number", "description": "Conversion: total months spent in the issuing country after getting the license (3+ needed)." }, "age": { "type": "number", "description": "Driver's age (ordinary license from 18; apply from 17.5)." }, "today": { "type": "string", "description": "YYYY-MM-DD date to check (default: today in Japan)." } } } } } }, "responses": { "200": { "description": "Result as JSON. Always includes a `disclaimer` field.", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "type": "object", "additionalProperties": true } } } }, "400": { "description": "Missing or invalid input. The body explains what to send and gives an example." }, "429": { "description": "Too many requests from one IP. Retry after the Retry-After seconds." } } } }, "/api/rules": { "get": { "operationId": "japanDrivingRules", "summary": "Rules for driving in Japan on a foreign license and converting it (外免切替): Geneva IDP country list, translation countries, non-issuers, 1-year and 3-month rules, test exemptions, fees, pass rates, sources", "description": "Returns the rules the checker applies, with NPA/Keishicho sources and disclaimer. No inputs.", "responses": { "200": { "description": "Rules JSON with rulesAsOf and sources.", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "type": "object", "additionalProperties": true } } } } } } } } }