KYODO — Japan's National Police Agency has released data on traffic accidents resulting in deaths or serious injuries caused by foreign drivers for the first time, soon after saying rules for converting overseas licences to Japanese ones would be tightened.
Such accidents caused by foreign drivers accounted for 2.1% of the total in the first half of this year, up from 1.9% from the previous year and 1.1% in 2015, according to the agency's figures released in late July.
Of the 258 accidents reported, 84.5% involved holders of Japanese driver's licences, followed by 6.2% with international licences and 1.9% with licenses issued by foreign countries.
But holders of Japanese driver's licences likely include those who have switched their licences from other countries to Japanese ones, a procedure that has been criticised by some lawmakers as being "too easy."
The police agency said last month that it plans to make foreign driver's licence conversion tests more stringent by significantly increasing the number of questions.
The number of accidents involving foreign drivers had declined from 2005 before picking again in recent years, according to the agency.
The rise in the data comes as Japan's foreign population has been increasing.
By nationality, South and North Koreans as well as Chinese respectively accounted for 51 cases, or 19.8% of the total, followed by Vietnamese with 31 cases, or 12.0%, and Brazilians with 25 cases, or 9.7%.
Such accidents caused by foreign drivers accounted for 2.1% of the total in the first half of this year, up from 1.9% from the previous year and 1.1% in 2015, according to the agency's figures released in late July.
Of the 258 accidents reported, 84.5% involved holders of Japanese driver's licences, followed by 6.2% with international licences and 1.9% with licenses issued by foreign countries.
But holders of Japanese driver's licences likely include those who have switched their licences from other countries to Japanese ones, a procedure that has been criticised by some lawmakers as being "too easy."
The police agency said last month that it plans to make foreign driver's licence conversion tests more stringent by significantly increasing the number of questions.
The number of accidents involving foreign drivers had declined from 2005 before picking again in recent years, according to the agency.
The rise in the data comes as Japan's foreign population has been increasing.
By nationality, South and North Koreans as well as Chinese respectively accounted for 51 cases, or 19.8% of the total, followed by Vietnamese with 31 cases, or 12.0%, and Brazilians with 25 cases, or 9.7%.
