Asia and Oceania

Terrorism

There is a low threat from terrorism, but you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

 

For further information see terrorism abroad.

Crime

Japan is generally trouble-free and has relatively low levels of common crime such as theft, mugging, burglary etc. It is generally safe to walk about at night and to travel on public transport. Nevertheless, you should maintain the same level of vigilance as you would at home, and take sensible precautions, especially if visiting bars and restaurants in the Roppongi entertainment district of Tokyo. There have been reports of drink spiking with drugs such as Rohypnol. There have also been instances of British citizens arrested following disputes with bar staff and doormen.

 

For more general information see victims of crime abroad.

 

Political situation

Japan is a stable democracy. Civil disturbances and violent demonstrations are rare.

Background on the political situation is available on the FCO website: Japan country profile.

Local Travel

 

Travel throughout Japan is relatively easy. Taxis are generally safe and use a fixed meter system for fares.

Road Travel

To drive in Japan, you must hold an International Driving Licence (IDL) and a current British licence as well as insurance. The IDL is only valid for use in Japan for one year regardless of its date of expiry. If you intend to stay longer than one year, you should apply for a Japanese driving licence. To do this you will need to prove that you were living in the UK for at least three months after receiving your British licence. For more information and details of offices where you can apply for a Japanese licence, please refer to the Japanese Automobile Federation website.

(a) Compulsory insurance (jibaisekihoken) which may be insufficient in cases of personal liability.

(b) Voluntary insurance (nin’i no jidoshahoken). We recommend that you buy this in addition to the compulsory insurance. It is compulsory to carry your driving licence with you at all times. UK residents of Japan must obtain a Japanese licence within one year of arrival, and will need both parts of the UK licence when applying (photocard and counterpart paper).

 

Roads in Japan are well maintained. Traffic travels on the left-hand side of the road, as in the UK. Road rules are, for the most part, the same as in the UK but drivers should pay particular attention to: pedestrians crossing roads at green lights, especially at junctions; cyclists travelling on the pavements, or on the wrong side of the road and without lights at night; and taxi drivers stopping suddenly. Many road signs are written in English and Japanese in urban areas but this is less common in rural areas.

 

In 2007 there were 6,639 road deaths in Japan (source: National Police Agency). This equates to 5.2 road deaths per 100,000 of population and compares to the UK average of 5.0 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2007.

 

For further information see driving abroad.

 

Rail Travel

The Japanese national rail network is generally efficient, reliable, safe and affordable (though bullet trains are considerably more expensive than ordinary trains).

 

Air Travel

 

The revised aviation security measures that came into effect for all passengers departing from UK airports in November 2006 were also implemented in Japan in March 2007. For more details about this please see Dft Airline Security.