Why Japan Drives on the Left (and What “Left-Hand Drive” Really Means)

Japan drives on the left side of the road, a practice shaped by Edo-period customs, reinforced by British-built railways in the 19th century, and formalized by nationwide regulations in the early 20th century; vehicles in Japan are typically right-hand-drive (steering wheel on the right), not “left-hand drive.” This arrangement aligns drivers closest to the road centerline for visibility and has remained standard nationwide—Okinawa included—since 1978.

Terminology: Left-Side Traffic vs. Left-Hand-Drive

In everyday conversation, “left-hand drive” is often conflated with “driving on the left.” They are not the same thing. Japan is a left-side traffic (LST) country, meaning vehicles keep to the left. Because of that, most vehicles in Japan are right-hand-drive (RHD), with the steering wheel on the right. “Left-hand-drive” (LHD) vehicles—steering wheel on the left—are common in right-side traffic countries like the United States or Germany. While some LHD imports exist in Japan, the norm is RHD to match left-side traffic.

How Japan Came to Drive on the Left

Roots in Edo-Period Etiquette

Long before cars, walking and horse traffic in Japan tended to keep left, a practice often linked to samurai-era etiquette: passing left minimized collisions between sword scabbards worn on the left and reduced accidental contact. While not a single codified national law, this convention helped set expectations for traffic flow.

British Influence Through Railways

Japan’s first modern railways, launched in 1872, were engineered with heavy British involvement. They adopted left-hand running for trains, paralleling British practice. As rail infrastructure grew, it reinforced a left-side norm across other modes, making left-side operation familiar and logical in urban planning and signage.

Legal Standardization in the 20th Century

As motor traffic expanded in the early 1900s, the Japanese government issued nationwide regulations that formalized left-side road traffic. By the 1920s, keeping left was standardized across Japan, creating consistency for drivers, road builders, and law enforcement.

Key Milestones and Exceptions

Several moments in history cemented—and, in one case, temporarily disrupted—Japan’s left-side traffic. The following list outlines the most significant developments that explain how the system took its current form.

• 1872: Japan’s first railway opens with British engineering and left-hand running, shaping subsequent infrastructure norms.
• Early 20th century: National regulations consolidate left-side driving for motor vehicles as cars become widespread.
• 1945–1978 (Okinawa only): Under U.S. administration after World War II, Okinawa switches to right-side traffic.
• 1978: “730” Day (July 30) sees Okinawa revert to left-side traffic, bringing it back in line with the rest of Japan.
• Today: Japan remains a left-side country; most vehicles are right-hand-drive to suit visibility and safety.

Taken together, these milestones show a steady progression from customary practice to formal law, with one postwar exception that was later reversed to ensure national uniformity.

Why Left-Side Traffic Makes Sense in Japan Today

Left-side traffic is not just tradition—it supports safety and efficiency in a system designed around it. The following points summarize why the arrangement endures and how it functions in practice.

• Driver visibility: With right-hand-drive vehicles, drivers sit closer to the road centerline, improving sight lines for overtaking and intersections.
• Infrastructure alignment: Road signs, lane markings, bus doors, station designs, and toll systems are all built for left-side flow.
• Rail consistency: Most Japanese railways run on the left, complementing road conventions and reducing user confusion across modes.
• Vehicle market: Domestic production focuses on RHD, while LHD imports exist but are a niche choice.
• Regional continuity: Many Asia–Pacific neighbors (e.g., Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore) also drive on the left, aiding cross-regional familiarity.

Because vehicles, roads, and user habits are aligned around left-side traffic, switching would be costly and disruptive without clear benefit, reinforcing the status quo.

Common Misconceptions

“Japan is left-hand drive.”

Incorrect. Japan drives on the left; most vehicles are right-hand-drive. The phrase “left-hand drive” refers to steering wheel placement, not which side of the road a country uses.

“Japan adopted left-side driving due to British rule.”

Japan was never a British colony. British influence arrived mainly through railway engineering and early industrial collaboration, not colonial governance.

“Railways alone decided road rules.”

Railways reinforced left-side norms, but customary practices and later government regulation ultimately codified the rule for roads.

Global Context

Roughly a quarter of the world’s population lives in left-side traffic countries, including the United Kingdom, India, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, South Africa, and Japan. These countries typically use right-hand-drive vehicles for visibility and safety aligned with left-side traffic.

Summary

Japan drives on the left because historical custom favored left-side movement, British-engineered railways normalized left-hand running, and 20th-century regulations formalized left-side traffic nationwide. In line with that, most vehicles in Japan are right-hand-drive. Okinawa briefly diverged under U.S. administration but returned to left-side traffic in 1978, restoring uniformity across Japan.

Why do Japanese buy left-hand drive cars?

And additionally in many cases they could have for example ordered a right-hand drive S-Class Mercedes. But instead they went with the exotic. And opulent left-hand drive model to be more. Unique.

Why do Japanese drive on the left side?

Japan drives on the left due to its history with samurai, who kept their swords on their left hip, necessitating left-side passage to avoid collisions. This tradition was reinforced when British companies helped build Japan’s first railways in the 1870s, adopting British left-hand track practice, a system eventually codified into law for all vehicles by 1924.
 
Historical Roots

• Samurai Culture: Opens in new tabIn feudal Japan, most samurai were right-handed and carried their swords on their left hip. Walking on the left allowed them to pass others without their scabbards clashing, which was a serious provocation. 
• Public Adoption: Opens in new tabThis custom of left-side passage became a norm in society, and people would get out of a samurai’s way to avoid conflict. 

Influence of Railways 

• British Technical Aid: Opens in new tabWhen Japan began modernizing in the late 19th century, British engineers were instrumental in constructing the nation’s first railway system.
• Left-Side Trains: Opens in new tabThese railways adopted the British practice of left-hand traffic for trains and, later, electric trolleys.

Formalization into Law 

• Codification: The tradition of left-side driving, rooted in samurai custom and reinforced by the railway system, was officially codified into national law in 1924.

In summary, Japan’s driving on the left is a direct result of pre-modern samurai customs and the early adoption of British railway practices, which were later formalized into nationwide traffic law.

Why does the US drive on the right?

The US drives on the right due to practical traditions that began in the American colonies with heavy wagon teams, where drivers sat on the left horse to whip the team and kept to the right for visibility and safety, a practice that was later reinforced by early car manufacturers like Henry Ford placing the steering wheel on the left. New York passed the first law in 1804 prescribing right-hand travel on public highways, and by the end of the 19th century, all US states had adopted the practice, leading to its widespread adoption with the advent of mass-produced automobiles. 
Wagon Drivers and the Early Colonies

• Teamster Tradition: In the late 18th century, farmers and teamsters in the US used large, multi-horse wagons to transport goods. 
• Right-Hand Control: To manage the large teams of horses, the driver often sat on the left rear horse, using their right hand to lash and control the team. 
• Visibility and Safety: This position on the left allowed the driver to keep the team to the right side of the road and clearly see oncoming wagons, preventing collisions. 

Formalization and Standardization 

• New York’s Law: Opens in new tabNew York became the first state to legally mandate right-hand travel on public highways in 1804.
• State-Wide Adoption: Opens in new tabOther states soon followed suit, and by the end of the 19th century, driving on the right was a standardized practice across the United States.

The Automobile Age 

• Steering Wheel Position: Opens in new tabWhen mass-produced cars were introduced, Henry Ford placed the steering wheel on the left side of the vehicle.
• Reinforcement of Right-Hand Driving: Opens in new tabThis position was convenient for drivers to see oncoming traffic and avoid collisions, reinforcing the existing tradition of driving on the right side of the road.

Does Japan have right-hand drive?

Yes, Japan is a right-hand drive (RHD) market, meaning the vast majority of vehicles on its roads have the steering wheel on the right side, and cars drive on the left. This is reflected in the standard production of Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) cars, which are right-hand drive. Japan allows left-hand drive (LHD) vehicles on its roads, though they are less common and typically high-end luxury or collectible models.
 
Why is Japan a right-hand drive market? 

• Historical influence: Japan chose to adopt left-hand traffic and RHD vehicles when it modernized in the 19th century, heavily influenced by British railway engineers.
• Railway system: The first Japanese railway was built with British help, establishing left-side traffic that was later carried over to road systems.
• Standardization: Left-hand driving was formally established in Japan by the Road Traffic Act in 1924.

Are Left-Hand Drive cars allowed?

• Permitted: Japan permits the use of both LHD and RHD vehicles on its roads, a unique feature compared to some other left-hand traffic countries. 
• Rarity: While LHD vehicles are permitted, they are not common. 
• Typical LHD owners: They are usually high-end luxury cars from foreign brands or privately imported large SUVs from the USA.