As of December 31, 2023, the driver's license in Japan held most commonly was for class 1 middle-category motor vehicles, with 56.58 million license holders. If not further restricted, this license permits the holder to drive most automobiles of up to 29 seats with a mass below 11 tons and a maximum loading capacity under 6.5 tons. It moreover includes small special-purpose vehicles and motorized bicycles.
Number of licensed drivers in Japan as of December 2023, by license category
(in millions)
drivers with various licenses are included in the higher-ranking license category where applicable (further on the left)
Supplementary notes
*Class 2 driving licenses permit the holder to transport other people for commercial purposes. All other licenses are class 1 licenses. There are class 2 licenses for large motor vehicles, middle-category motor vehicles, ordinary motor vehicles, large special-purpose vehicles, and trailers.
**Less than five thousand licensed drivers.
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National Police Agency (Japan). (April 16, 2024). Number of licensed drivers in Japan as of December 2023, by license category (in millions) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 13, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1258739/japan-licensed-drivers-by-type/
National Police Agency (Japan). "Number of licensed drivers in Japan as of December 2023, by license category (in millions)." Chart. April 16, 2024. Statista. Accessed December 13, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1258739/japan-licensed-drivers-by-type/
National Police Agency (Japan). (2024). Number of licensed drivers in Japan as of December 2023, by license category (in millions). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 13, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1258739/japan-licensed-drivers-by-type/
National Police Agency (Japan). "Number of Licensed Drivers in Japan as of December 2023, by License Category (in Millions)." Statista, Statista Inc., 16 Apr 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1258739/japan-licensed-drivers-by-type/
National Police Agency (Japan), Number of licensed drivers in Japan as of December 2023, by license category (in millions) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1258739/japan-licensed-drivers-by-type/ (last visited December 13, 2024)
Number of licensed drivers in Japan as of December 2023, by license category (in millions) [Graph], National Police Agency (Japan), April 16, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1258739/japan-licensed-drivers-by-type/