My US driver’s license is expired so I am getting an International Drivers License to be able to rent a car when I visit. It should be easier than this, but, I just want to say that the process at the police station in Totsuka was super simple, friendly even. 👮

@rick do they still insist that you return it when you are done with it?

@RoboticistDuck oof, I hadn't heard about THAT particular wrinkle. The page I read did say that you should bring the old one when you apply for a new one. Wonder what problem that odd bureaucratic flourish is designed to prevent?!

@rick @RoboticistDuck I haven’t had this issue with the Tokyo office. Source:

@rick @RoboticistDuck I went to Izumi police last week to get a new international license and they asked if I still had my one from last year and told me to bring it if I do when picking up the new one.Always friendly folks there.

@jamesvandyne @brian thanks for the extra info. Have you ever rented a car in your home country with your Japan IDP, and, was there any trouble? (James we lived in the Izumi-ku area in our first couple years of marriage, and I always thought their bureaucrats had it together. Always quick service at the kuyakusho. Totsuka got it's act together later.)

@rick @jamesvandyne Only issue I had was you have to be sure to bring your residence card too. I’ve had it twice where my passport + IDL wasn’t enough. Need proof of residence in that country too.

@brian I'd have it with, because I need to get back into Japan, but that's really good to know. It's easy to forget something.

@rick @brian Zero issues when I rented a car last time I went back. Other than the price tag, w. I’m planning on using my IDP mostly as license as a fallback this time around.