Speed limits in Japan
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The highest speed limit in Japan is 120 km/h (75 mph), which applies on sections of several expressways which including Shin-Tōmei Expressway (E1A) and Tōhoku Expressway (E4), as well as expressways in the Kantō Plain leading to Tokyo.[1][2][3]
Statutory speed limit defaults to 100 km/h (62 mph) on national divided expressways, while the default limit on other roads is 60 km/h (37 mph), unless otherwise posted.[4] A lower statutory limit of 30 km/h (19 mph) applies to roads without a center line or traffic lanes, where opposing directions of traffic are not physically separated. This effectively applies to most residential streets.[5]
Certain vehicle types have lower statutory speed limits on national divided expressways. The statutory speed limit for divided expressways is 90 km/h (56 mph) for a truck with GVWR over 8 t (17,640 lb) and a maximum load over 5 t (11,020 lb), and 80 km/h (50 mph) for motor vehicles with a trailer and three-wheelers.[6]
There are no separate urban or rural statutory limits. Urban and rural limits are set by zoning rather than statute.
Implementation of speed limits in Japan can be summarized as:
- a statutory speed limit of 30 km/h applies to most residential streets.
- 40 km/h regulatory speed limits are common on urban two-lane roads with a marked center line.[7]
- regulatory speed limit of 40 or 50 km/h is common in rural areas due to rugged mountainous terrain.
- the maximum regulatory speed limit in practice is 60 km/h on roads where at-grade intersections exist or pedestrians and cyclists are permitted.
- the maximum regulatory speed limit on undivided roads is 70 km/h.
- variable speed limits are in effect on most national expressways.
- emergency vehicles are not exempt but have speed limit of 80 km/h on most roads and 100 km/h on divided national expressways, unless higher speed limit is posted. Police vehicles are exempt during speeding enforcement.
Enforcement
[edit]
Speed camera
[edit]A threshold for speed cameras in Japan is set at a minimum of 39 km/h (24 mph) above the limit on an expressway and a minimum of 29 km/h (18 mph) above the limit on other streets, where drivers will face criminal charges instead of traffic infractions. This is due to legal precedents dating back to 1969 restricting police from filming an individual unless a criminal offence is immediately being committed.[8]
Police enforcement
[edit]Although there is no official tolerance for exceeding the speed limit, most drivers in Japan tend to drive over the speed limit on major roads.[9][10] Police enforcement varies depending on the jurisdiction, officers, traffic flow and street types, but 19 km/h (12 mph) above the speed limit on an expressway and 14 km/h (8.7 mph) above the limit are generally tolerated on other streets.[11]
In 2020, a total of 1,162,420 speeding tickets were issued across Japan, and only 199 tickets were issued for speeding between 0 and 14 km/h (0.0 and 8.7 mph) over the limit.[12] Of the 199 tickets for speeding 0–14 km/h (0.0–8.7 mph) over the limit, Iwate Prefectural Police alone issued 166 tickets.[12] For speeding between 15 and 19 km/h (9.3 and 11.8 mph) over the limit, Hokkaido, Aichi, Kyoto, Osaka and Fukuoka had the largest shares of tickets issued.[12]
In contrast, Okinawa did not issue any tickets for speeding between 0 and 19 km/h (0 and 12 mph) over the limit. Tokyo Metropolitan Police issued a total of 68,693 speeding tickets, but gave out only seven tickets for speeding between 0 and 19 km/h (0 and 12 mph) over the limit.[12] Some jurisdictions, such as Tokyo Metropolitan Police, release traffic enforcement locations on their websites.[13]
Speed limit criteria
[edit]Statutory speed limits provide the default limits, but posted regulatory speed limits are determined separately according to the design and use of the road. Japan distinguishes between surface streets (一般道路, ippan dōro) and expressways (高速道路, kōsoku dōro) in terms of speed limit regulations, with different criteria used to determine their regulatory speed limits.
Although some surface streets such as viaducts, trunk and bypass roads are built to expressway standards, many are not legally classified as expressways. They can generally be distinguished by the colour of direction signs: surface streets use blue direction signs while expressways use green signs.
Surface streets
[edit]Speed limits for surface streets are set within ±10 km/h (6.2 mph) of the reference speed limit below. Reference speed limits do not apply to expressways.
A speed limit may not exceed 60 km/h for streets with at-grade intersections or where pedestrians or cyclists are permitted. To exceed the 60 km/h threshold, the street must undergo costly grade separation to be a controlled-access highway.
| Class | Area | Travel Lanes | Divided | Pedestrian Volumes | 85th Percentile Speed[16] | Reference Speed Limit | Factors affecting the Reference Speed Limit (Reason for deviating from 85th speed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban | 2 lanes | - | High | 51.9 km/h | 40 km/h | Urban and high pedestrian volumes |
| 2 | Low | 57.1 km/h | 50 km/h | Urban | |||
| 3 | 4+ lanes | Yes | High | 59.0 km/h | 50 km/h | Urban and high pedestrian volumes | |
| 4 | Low | 64.1 km/h | 60 km/h | Urban | |||
| 5 | No | High | 58.7 km/h | 50 km/h | Urban, high pedestrian volumes, and undivided | ||
| 6 | Low | 63.9 km/h | 50 km/h | Urban and undivided | |||
| 7 | Rural | 2 lanes | - | High | 58.2 km/h | 50 km/h | High pedestrian volumes |
| 8 | Low | 63.3 km/h | 60 km/h | Maximum speed set by police | |||
| 9 | 4+ lanes | Yes | High | 65.3 km/h | 60 km/h | Pedestrian | |
| 10 | Low | 70.4 km/h | 60 km/h | Maximum speed set by police | |||
| 11 | No | High | 65.0 km/h | 50 km/h | High pedestrian volumes and undivided | ||
| 12 | Low | 70.1 km/h | 60 km/h | Undivided | |||
|
30 km/h (±0 km/h) |
20 km/h limit may be set on case-by-case basis for the following:
| |||||
|
70 km/h or 80 km/h (±0 km/h) |
For speed limits 70 km/h and above, the road should be closed to pedestrians, cyclists, and mopeds in principle. | |||||
Definitions
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Expressways
[edit]A speed limit of up to 120 km/h (75 mph) may be set on a divided expressway, if it has low crash rates, both the lowest adaptation speed and design speed are 120 km/h, and the qualifying section is at least 20 km (12 miles) long. On an undivided expressway, the maximum speed limit set is 70 km/h (43 mph).
Expressway speed limits are determined using the lowest applicable "structure compatible speed" (構造適合速度, kōzō tekigō sokudo) criteria below, which is based on factors such as design speed and road geometry.[15] Unlike surface streets, expressways are not subject to fixed range such as ±10 km/h around a reference speed. Regulatory limits may exceed the statutory limit where permitted by the road's criteria.
Intercity expressways typically have higher speed limits, while urban expressways within major cities often have a speed limit of 60 km/h (37 mph). Two-lane expressways, which are typically found in rural and remote areas, commonly have speed limits of 70 km/h (43 mph) where opposing traffic is separated only by delineator posts or similar devices, and 80 km/h (50 mph) where opposing traffic is physically separated.
Most expressways outside cities have active variable speed limit signs, with lower limits applied during congestions, accidents, constructions, severe weather, and other adverse conditions. When the statutory limit applies, the variable speed limit signs are left blank. Where the regulatory limit exceeds the statutory limit, separate variable speed limit signs may be used to display the lower limits applicable to certain vehicle types, including vehicles towing trailers and three-wheeled vehicles.
The speed limit is determined by the lowest applicable speed among the criteria below. Consequently, some four-lane expressways also have speed limits as low as 70 km/h.[19][20]
| Curve Radius (m) | Adaptation Speed | Design standard | Exceptional | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superelevation (%) Inclusive-Exclusive | |||||||||
| 0 - 1 | 1 - 2 | 2 - 3 | 3 - 4 | 4 - 5 | 5 - 6 | 6 - 7 | Curve radius (m) | ||
| 1134 | 1031 | 945 | 872 | 810 | 756 | 709 | 120 km/h | (710) | (570) |
| 716 | 656 | 606 | 562 | 525 | 492 | 463 | 100 km/h | (460) | (380) |
| 420 | 388 | 360 | 336 | 315 | 296 | 280 | 80 km/h | (280) | (230) |
| 218 | 202 | 189 | 177 | 167 | 157 | 149 | 60 km/h | (150) | (120) |
| 141 | 131 | 123 | 116 | 109 | 104 | 98 | 50 km/h | (100) | (80) |
| 84 | 79 | 74 | 70 | 66 | 63 | 60 | 40 km/h | (60) | (50) |
| 47 | 44 | 42 | 39 | 37 | 35 | 34 | 30 km/h | (30) | |
| 21 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 20 km/h | (15) | |
| Sight distance | Adaptation Speed |
|---|---|
| 210 m ≤ | 120 km/h |
| 160 m - 210 m | 100 km/h |
| 110 m - 160 m | 80 km/h |
| 75 m - 110 m | 60 km/h |
| 55 m - 75 m | 50 km/h |
| 40 m - 55 m | 40 km/h |
| 30 m - 40 m | 30 km/h |
| < 30 m | 20 km/h |
| Combined Gradient | Adaptation Speed |
|---|---|
| Below 10% | 120 km/h |
| 10% but below 10.5% | 80 km/h |
| Above 10.5% but below 11.5% | 50 km/h |
| Slope | Adaptation Speed |
|---|---|
| 5% and below | 120 km/h |
| Above 5% but less than 6% | 100 km/h |
| Above 6% but less than 7% | 80 km/h |
| Above 7% but less than 8% | 60 km/h |
| Above 8% but less than 9% | 50 km/h |
| Above 9% but less than 10% | 40 km/h |
Lane Width (3.5 m ≤: 120 km/h, < 3.5 m: 80 km/h)
Shoulder Width (1.75 m ≤: 120 km/h, < 1.75 m: 80 km/h)
References
[edit]- ↑ "新東名高速道路における最高速度120キロの試行開始について" (in Japanese). 2 February 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
- ↑ "高速自動車国道等の最高速度" (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 July 2023.
- ↑ "Japan to raise speed limit for sections of some expressways for first time".
- ↑ "The Order for Enforcement of the Road Traffic Act (Japanese)". Government of Japan. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ↑ "生活道路における法定速度について" [Statutory speed limit on residential roads]. Metropolitan Police Department (in Japanese). 15 April 2026. Retrieved 1 September 2026.
- ↑ "道路交通法施行令" (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ↑ "Driving in Japan". Japan-Guide.com. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ↑ 刑集第23巻12号1625頁
- ↑ "自動車の走行速度を規定する要因に関する調査研究" (PDF). International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences. March 1991.
- ↑ "自動車の走行速度と道路の設計速度・最高速度規制との関係" (PDF).
- ↑ 速度規制の目的と現状 P.12 - National Police Agency of Japan
- 1 2 3 4 Imai, Ryoichi (August 23, 2021). "東京と沖縄は20キロ未満を相手にしない？ 都道府県別に見るスピード違反取り締まりの実態". ドライバーWeb.
- ↑ 警視庁 公開交通取締り - Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department
- ↑ National Police Agency; 規制速度決定の在り方に関する調査研究検討委員会 (March 2009). 平成20年度 規制速度決定の在り方に関する調査研究 報告書 (PDF) (Report). pp. 1, 10, 12–13, 15–18, 27, 36, 39, 41–51.
- 1 2 警察庁交通局 (2017-04-24), 交通規制基準 (PDF), pp. 120–128
- ↑ National Police Agency; 規制速度決定の在り方に関する調査研究検討委員会 (March 2009). 平成20年度 規制速度決定の在り方に関する調査研究 報告書 (PDF) (Report). p. 8.
表 2-4 数量化I類による計算結果（85 パーセンタイル速度）
- ↑ 警察庁交通局; 交通規制課 (2014-04-02), 最高速度規制の点検・見直し等の更なる推進について(通達) (PDF), p. 3
- ↑ 生活道路におけるゾーン対策推進調査研究検討委員会 (March 2011). 生活道路におけるゾーン対策推進調査研究報告書 (PDF) (Report). p. 23.
- ↑ 警察庁; 規制速度決定の在り方に関する調査研究検討委員会 (February 2007). 平成18年度 規制速度決定の在り方に関する調査研究 報告書 (PDF) (Report). p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-04-30.
- ↑ 警察庁交通局交通規制課 (2013-09-25). 第２回 速度規制等ワーキンググループ議事概要 (PDF). 交通事故抑止に資する取締り・速度規制等の在り方に関する懇談会. p. 19.
