On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 20:05:13 -0700, "Bryce"
<fukuzzz@takethisout.hotmail.com> belched the alphabet and kept on
going with:

>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >First of all, you shouldn't have a Japanese license in the first place.
>>
>> I find it to be something of a necessity.
>
>Granted.
>
>>
>> >You should just renew your int'l license once a year out of the country.
>>
>> I only leave the country once every 5 years or so on average, so there
>> goes that idea.
>>
>> >Then you don't have to worry about points in the first place. All this
>only works
>> >if you have an int'l license. If you don't have an int'l license, and
>> >actually got screwed into taking an actual driving class and test 200-300
>> >thousand yen, well, life sucks.
>>
>> When I got my Japanese license, I didn't have to do any of that. I
>> just gave a translation of my Tennessee license, took an eye exam, and
>> that was it.
>>
>
>That is a good situation.
>
>> >You've gotta live with what you got yourself
>> >into. Rules regarding int'l licenses and who may use them have changed
>this
>> >year I am reading on a website right now... kanji is a little rusty, but
>it
>> >looks like you must prove now that you have left the country more than
>once
>> >a year in order to continue using an int'l license.
>>
>> From the National Police Agency's website:
>>
>> ■ 日本において運転できる期間
>> 1)日本の免許証：有効期間内
>> 2)国際免許証及び外国の免許証：日本に上陸した日から1年間又は当該免許証の有
>効期間の
>> いずれか短い期間（ただし、住民基本台帳法に記録されている者が出国の確認を、
>外国人
>> 登録法を受けている者が再入国の許可等を受けて日本から出国し、３か月未満のう
>ちに帰
>> 国した場合においては、当該帰国（上陸）の日は国際免許証等による運転可能期間
>の起算
>> 日とはなりません。）
>>
>> I don't have the means to remain outside Japan for over three months
>> at a time, especially just so I can try to pull some touristy scam
>> with an international drivers license.
>>
>Well, I for one am the first to suggest that you should play by the rules.
>As far as touristy scam goes... I don't think many tourists really know
>about the situation. Maybe it's the "ugly gaijin" scam?

Maybe it's the "gaigin with no fixed address who dashes in and out of
Japan before the cops and prosecutors get around to chasing his ass
down and hauling him in" scam.

Unfortunately, that won't work for most us, especially us newbies.