TOKYO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The pass rate for the foreign driver's license conversion test in Japan dropped sharply in the first three months after the introduction of tighter rules last October, police said Monday.

Between October and December, only 11,716 of the 27,354 people who took the test passed the written section of the exam that assesses applicants' knowledge of basic Japanese traffic laws, according to the National Police Agency.

The pass rate for the written traffic knowledge test was 42.8 percent, sharply down from 92.5 percent in 2024.

The agency has expanded the number of questions on the knowledge test from 10 to 50, and applicants must answer at least 90 percent correctly to pass, as stricter rules were implemented after lawmakers criticized the test as being too easy.

The driving skills test, taken by those who pass the written section, has also toughened checks on whether drivers know the rules for pedestrian crosswalks and railway crossings.

The pass rate for this section fell to 13.1 percent, or 3,041 out of 23,245 applicants, in the first three months compared with 30.4 percent in 2024.

Holders of overseas driver's licenses can obtain a Japanese license if they are certified as having the knowledge and skills to drive in Japan. ■