Car accident in Japan: what to do, step by step, as a foreign driver

After a car accident in Japan, the law gives you four duties: stop, help anyone injured, make the road safe and report to the police, even for a small scrape with no one hurt. They apply to every driver, whether you hold a Japanese license or an international permit. Call 119 if anyone is hurt, then 110. Without a police report you can’t get the accident certificate that insurance claims need. This is as of October 2026.

What do I have to do at the scene?

Article 72 of the Road Traffic Act (道路交通法) sets the duties. The driver must immediately stop, aid the injured (負傷者の救護) and take steps such as preventing further danger on the road (危険防止). Then the driver must report to the police: to an officer at the scene or, if none is there, straight away to the nearest police station or police box (交番).

The report covers the date, time and place, how many people were hurt and how badly, what was damaged, what the vehicle was carrying and what you did after the accident. The police can order you to stay at the scene until officers arrive.

Do I have to call the police for a minor accident?

Yes. The law defines a traffic accident (交通事故) as any death or injury, or any damage to property, caused by a vehicle. There is no minimum size. A tap on a parked car, a dent in a wall or a cyclist with a scraped knee all count.

Not reporting is a crime in itself: up to 3 months in prison or a ¥50,000 fine. It also blocks your claims later, because the Japan Safe Driving Center won’t issue an accident certificate for an accident the police never heard about.

Can I speak English with the police?

When you call 110, police connect an interpreter if they can’t understand your language. Osaka police ask you not to hang up while they do. From a smartphone contracted in Japan, your GPS location goes to the police. A phone on global roaming may not be able to call 110 at all. More on calling 110 and 119 is in our guide to emergency numbers in Japan.

Your insurer is the second call. Tokio Marine, Sompo Japan, Mitsui Sumitomo and Aioi Nissay Dowa run 24/7 accident lines with interpreters. Our car insurance comparison lists the numbers and how each line works. Save yours in your phone before you need it.

What if I’m driving on an international permit?

The Article 72 duties apply to every driver, so an international driving permit changes nothing at the scene. Stop, help, make the road safe, report. Check that your permit is still valid for driving in Japan: our international driving permit guide explains the 1-year rule.

What are the penalties for leaving the scene?

Leaving without helping or reporting carries its own penalties, on top of any penalty for the accident.

Penalties and points: Road Traffic Act Articles 117, 117-5 and 119; points from Kanagawa and Aichi prefectural police, as of October 2026.

35 points means your license is revoked. Kanagawa police say a driver with no administrative penalties in the past 3 years who reaches 35 to 39 points can’t get a new license for 3 years, or 5 years with a past revocation. The accident itself adds points too: for example 3 points for an injury that heals in under 15 days, up to 20 for a death, when the accident was mainly your fault. Our guide to traffic tickets and license points covers the system.

How do I get the accident certificate (交通事故証明書)?

The accident certificate (交通事故証明書) comes from the Japan Safe Driving Center (自動車安全運転センター), using the police record. You need it for compulsory insurance claims and for using your health insurance after an injury. At the scene, note which police station is handling the accident.

By post, it usually arrives in about 10 days. The victim, the at-fault driver or someone with a legal interest, such as a family member entitled to damages, can apply. The center generally stops issuing them 5 years after an injury accident and 3 years after a property-only accident.

What does compulsory insurance (自賠責) pay?

Compulsory insurance (自賠責保険) pays only for injury or death of other people, per victim: up to ¥1.2 million for injury, ¥750,000 to ¥40 million for disability by grade, and ¥30 million for a death. It pays nothing for cars or other property, and nothing for the at-fault driver’s own injuries or car. That is what voluntary insurance (任意保険) is for.

There are two ways to claim, according to the transport ministry (国土交通省):

• The at-fault driver pays first (加害者請求), then claims the money back from 自賠責.
• The victim claims directly (被害者請求) from the at-fault driver’s compulsory insurer, as often as needed within the limit. An advance payment (仮渡金) of ¥50,000, ¥200,000 or ¥400,000 is possible for injuries, depending on severity.

Every claim needs the accident certificate, an accident situation report (事故発生状況報告書), a doctor’s certificate and a seal certificate (印鑑証明書). The deadline is 3 years: for an injury, from the day after the accident.

If the other driver fled and can’t be found, or had no compulsory insurance, the government guarantee program (政府保障事業) compensates the victim at a level equivalent to 自賠責. Claim at a branch of a non-life insurance company, not at an insurance agent.

Can I use my health insurance for accident injuries?

Yes. If another driver caused your injury and it wasn’t a work or commuting accident, you can be treated with your health insurance. Your insurer pays and later recovers the cost from the at-fault side. 協会けんぽ asks you to:

• send a third-party injury report (第三者行為による傷病届) to your prefectural branch, with the accident certificate;
• phone first if you can’t send it right away;
• tell them before you settle with the other driver, and report any money you receive.

If the certificate says “property accident” (物件事故), you also need a form explaining why there is no injury accident certificate. If you are on National Health Insurance (国民健康保険), ask your city office which form it uses. For finding a doctor, see our list of English-speaking hospitals.

Where can I get free help after an accident?

These bodies are listed by the transport ministry. Most work in Japanese only, so bring a Japanese-speaking friend or ask whether you can use an interpreter. They give information and mediation; for your own case, a lawyer (弁護士) gives legal advice.

If talks with the other side fail, Chiba Prefecture lists the next steps: the JFBA center, mediation at a summary court (調停) or a lawsuit.

More guides: car insurance for foreigners, emergency numbers, license points, buying a car in Japan.