I am a Cadet at the United States Military Academy, here in Japan on TDY (I have orders, and my ID card confirms i'm on active duty) to attend a semester at the National Defense Academy of Japan.

Coincidentally, my family lives in Tokyo, where I grew up.

I am wanting to get a driver's license in order to drive up from Yokosuka to see my family each weekend, but I'm not sure who I need to get my licence from. Do I fall under SOFA? Who do I talk to about getting a 4EJ Licence? Can I get a Japanese Licence? I'm so confused.

If you have the copy of your orders(which you should) see if they say sofa status on them. Anyways you should check with your command/school. I know when you read them they kinda look like a bunch of jumble but its hard to miss the SOFA on my husbands. If you do not have a copy I would get one. If you want to go anywhere or do anything you have to have a copy with you.

I don't think there's any doubt that you're SOFA regardless whether the orders say it or not. If you have a US driver's license you should be able to get a SOFA license at the nearest base, though they might jerk you around since you're not stationed there & you're TAD vice PCS. Be courteous & firm, and try to find someone who seems sympathetic & willing to help you out. I would tend to approach an American clerk, not Japanese. The Japanese are such sticklers for rules & if they can't find a rule that applies, they would be hesitant to help. Americans are more free-wheeling and will help you if they like you. Just my 2-cent's worth. Be humble.

Would you be driving a car with SOFA plates or Japanese plates? For future reference, if it's Japanese plates then getting an international drivers licenses at AAA statestide would have helped (too late now). If it's SOFA plates, I suppose you need a SOFA license. Good luck!

BTW, awesome that you're able to spend a semester here! What a great deal, and doubtless a nice break from West Point. Congrats on getting selected for that.

I'm just curious why you don't take a train to Tokyo? It's a lot faster and cheaper than driving. And you don't have to worry about city traffic, astronomical parking rates, etc.

Hope you get it sorted out though. If he did get a SOFA license, wouldn't he need to take and pass the instruction and test from AOB/ICR? Or can he just go to the licensing office and take only the test?

Hey my husband pointed something eles out. Dont the Japanesse have to go to school for 5years and be 25 to get a drivers licence?

> Rea,

We can get a drivers license from 18 years old as of the driving test day. Some people starts to learn driving from some months earlier of 18 years old birthday. No "young" restrictions for Japanese drivers licenses except very high insurance rate (of course it's not a part of law, but need attention for young drivers...), so that we can run a car without elder observation even younger than 25 years old. Also young drivers (younger than 25 or 22 years old) can rent a car without any restrictions. Does this answer your husband's question?