You can't apply to the JAF yourself from Germany. Their form only works from inside Japan and only delivers to Japanese addresses. The way to have the translation in hand before your flight is to have someone in Japan file it for you. That's what we do, and this page walks through how it works in practice.
Why can't I do it myself from Germany?
Since 1 April 2025 the JAF takes applications only through an online form. It's in Japanese, it can only be reached from a Japanese network, payment is by credit card only, and the finished translation is sent to an address in Japan. There's no counter and no postal route any more. Workarounds with a VPN tend to be blocked, and you'd still need a Japanese delivery address at the end.
What happens after I order?
You send us clear photos of the front and back of your German licence and a few details, then pay. We check the photos, because a blurred date or a cut-off corner is the most common reason an application gets sent back. Then we file it with the JAF.
The JAF quotes two to three business days on average for German licences. When the translation is issued we send it to you as a PDF by email. Use it for your rental booking. For pickup and driving, you carry JAF's paper original, which we deliver to your hotel or rental counter in Japan from the day after the translation is ready.
What photos do you need?
The front and back of your licence, flat, in good light, with every edge visible and nothing reflecting off the plastic. Both sides matter because the back lists your vehicle classes and dates. If you have an older paper licence, photograph every page with an entry on it.
When will it arrive if I order today?
We commit to the day we submit it. The JAF's processing time is theirs, so the arrival is a range. Japanese public holidays close the JAF completely, which is why the dates above move around them.
What do I show at the rental counter?
Your original licence, the paper original of the translation and your passport. We send the translation as a PDF so you can book the car before you fly. The paper original is what you drive with; we deliver it to your hotel or rental counter in Japan from the day after the translation is ready, for €10.
Why get it before booking the car?
Because many Japanese rental companies ask to see it when you reserve. We rent campervans in Fukuoka, most of our guests are European, and the booking stalling for this reason is something we see all the time. With the PDF already in hand, you can book the car you actually want.
What does it cost?
From €99, with faster tiers if you're flying soon. The JAF revised its fees on 1 July 2026, and the fee for German licence holders who only want to drive temporarily stayed the same.
Apply in German or in English. For why the international permit doesn't work, see driving in Japan on a German licence.
Checked against the JAF's official English guidance in September 2026. Karen and Doko Shibagaki, Camjyo Inc., Fukuoka.
