You need an international driving licence to drive in Japan. If you don’t have one, you may be subject to fines, arrest or imprisonment and your insurance will be invalid. The international licence must be transferred to a Japanese one within 12 months. Again, failure to do so may result in fines, imprisonment or arrest, and points on your licence.

There is zero tolerance for drink driving and driving under the influence of drugs. If you are caught speeding you will be fined and will lose points on your licence. More severe punishments result if you are caught driving well over the speed limit. The Japanese police have the authority to contact financial institutions to check on your financial status in the event of non-payment of an offence, so there’s no point trying to avoid it.

For severe offences, your licence may be suspended or cancelled. Contact the Japan Automobile Federation (03 6833 9100, www.jaf.or.jp) for more infromation. They produce a Rules of the Road booklet in five languages, which costs ¥1,000.