Okinawa Forums

Are you thinking about changing your foreign license over to a Japanese one? If you are please read my article about how I passed the test on the first try. Here (http://www.okinawaforums.com/content/view/17/2/).

If you'd like to discuss the driving test or ask any questions. Please do so in this post.

Good luck,

John

My missionary friend who lives there has been told that it is unusual for foreigners to pass the driving test the first time. Is it that way for foreigners, or are the instructors just way more picky than American ones?

Well, I'm not sure why foreigns have such a difficult time passing on the first try, but I'd say it's a combination of the fact that ultimately the testers have discretion over who passes and that most people go into the test thinking they'll pass it because they can drive in their home country. The test looks for specific driving procedures that are not exactly what one would expect. Especially if you think the driving test is just about driving 'safely.' It's actually about driving 'safely' in the way they want you to. I think this is where a lot of people mess up. Also, small careless mistakes knock quite a few people out of the test. For example, not stopping behind the white stop sign line.

I thought it might be something like that. My friend living there told me that while the Okinawans are unfailing polite and friendly, they do expect you to do things they way that they do them. Hey! It's their country, I would expect the same here in the States. ;D