Chapter I. General Rules

Article 1. The objects of this Law are to prevent dangers and promote the safety of other traffics on the road.

Article 2. Terms as used in this Law shall have the meanings described as followed: "Road" means a road described in the Road Law, motor vehicle road and other places which are used for general traffics. "Motor vehicle road" means a road which is exclusively used for general traffic of motor vehicles and a road which a motor vehicle transit enterpriser exclusively uses for his business motor vehicles. "Vehicles" means horses and various cars, but "horses" means the domestic animals to be used for traffic and transportation, and "various cars" means the cars which are operated by man's power, domestic animal's powers and other motive power, excepting a tramcar or child's car, but sleds are regarded as various cars. "Motor vehicles" means various cars which are operated by motor on a road without depending upon tramway or wires. "Tramcar" means a car which is operated on a road, depending on tramway or wires.

Article 3. Pedestrians or vehicles that pass a road must keep to its left side.

Article 4. On a road where there are both the sidewalk and the roadway, the pedestrian or the vehicle must pass its own way;however, the rank of students and pupils, funeral procession and other parades may take the roadway. Necessary matters on the meanings of a sidewalk and the roadway, and the distinction for the passing and crossing of a sidewalk or roadway shall be prescribed by an Order.

Article 5. Pedestrians, vehicles, or tramcars that pass a road must follow the indications of signal machines, road marks or limit lines or the directions of police officials, according to the description of an Order. Necessary matters on the meanings, establishment and supervision of a signal machine, roadmarks and a limit line, shall be prescribed by an Order.

Article 6. The Prefectural Governors (In the case of Tokyo-to, the Superintendent General of the Metropolitan Police Board, the same shall apply hereinafter), in case there is a necessity for the prevention of dangers and for the safety of other traffics, can prohibit or restrict the passing of the road. Police officials, in case there is an urgent necessity for the prevention of dangers, can prohibit or restrict the passing of the road for a while.

Chapter II. Vehicles and Tramcars

Article 7. Drivers of vehicles or tramcars shall not make reckless driving. Reckless driving in the preceding paragraph means the actions which come under one of following items: 1. To drive vehicles which can not be driven safely for the reasons of grave hindrance in the constructions and equipments and of others. 2. To drive various cars or tramcars without having the qualification for driving which has been designated by the laws and ordinances. 3. To drive various cars or tramcars in spite of the existence of the fear of impossibility of making a proper drive, drunken or the like, other than is prescribed in the preceding item. 4. To drive vehicles or tramcars neglecting the management necessary for the safe driving by means of bridles, handles and other equipment. 5. To drive various cars or tramcars with speed exceeding the limitation of maximum speed designated by laws and ordinances or in a way causing undve trouble to the traffic of others. The police officials, in case they recognize it necessary for the prevention of dangers in case of the actions which come under items 1 to 3 of the preceding paragraph, may stop the driving of vehicles or tramcars for a while.

Article 8. Drivers of vehicles or tramcars must drive them with such speed and method that may not cause any danger to the public in compliance with the conditions of the road, traffic and loading, within the limit of speed prescribed by the laws and ordinances. Matters to be observed on driving by drivers of vehicles other than is prescribed in the preceding paragraph shall be described by an Order.

Article 9. A motor vehicle shall not be driven by any person unless he has obtained a driving license and carries a driving license certificate, issued by the Prefectural Governor concerned. A Prefectural Governor may hold an inspection of a driving license certificate regularly or non-regularly. In case where a person who has obtained a driving license is deformed, or bring out a traffic accident on purpose or by failure, or causes other specified trouble, a Prefectural Governor may cancel the driving license or suspend it, or may exercise necessary disposition of it. The provisions for the driving license in paragraph 1 and the cancellation or the suspension prescribed in the preceding paragraph are effective throughout the country. A person who has obtained a driving license can not have other license of the same kind at the same time. The necessary matters on the driving license of Paragraph 1 shall be prescribed by an Order.

Article 10. The maximum speed of an motor vehicle shall be prescribed by an Order. A Prefectural Governor may, by making limitation on the road, the area or the hour, set the limit of the maximum speed within the extent of the maximum speed prescribed in the Order of the preceding paragraph. A Prefectural Governor as for the fire car, the ambulance and other motor vehicles which the Competent Minister shall designate (Herein after to be called emergency motor vehicles), may set the limit of the maximum speed exceeding the maximum speed prescribed in an Order of paragraph 1. A Prefectural Governor may, as for a motor vehicle driven along a motor vehicle road, set the limit of the maximum speed irrespective of the provisions of paragraph 1 to the preceding paragraph inclusive.

Article 11. A vehicle, passing along a road, must put on a light according to the description of an Order.

Article 12. A vehicle must not have a parallel march or driving backwards or making turn in case when it is feared to cause obstruction to the traffic of others.

Article 13. The necessary matters on a vehicle following or overtaking other vehicles on a road shall be prescribed by an Order.

Article 14. In case when a vehicle turns to the left, the turning must be done by getting close to the left side of the road at a reduced speed. In case when a vehicle turns to the right, it must rotate the outside of the centre of the intersection at a reduced speed.

Article 15. A vehicle which intend to pass a grade crossing of a railroad or tramway must stop for a while to confirm the safety. However, this shall not apply to the case where the safety has been confirmed by the indication of a signal machine, direction of police official or signal man or other reasons.

Article 16. Vehicles and tramcars shall have the right of way among one another according to the following order: 1. Emergency motor vehicles. 2. Motor vehicles other than emergency motor vehicle and tramcar. 3. Vehicles other than motor vehicle. A vehicle or a tramcar must give way to the motor vehicle or tramcar which is forward in the order of the right of way prescribed in the preceding paragraph. Necessary matters on the paint-color, alarm machine, light etc. of emergency motor vehicles shall be prescribed by an Order.

Article 17. When the vehicles or the tramcars which are in the same order of the right of way, are going into an intersection where the traffic direction is not exercised go from different directions simultaneously, that of the right side must give way to that of the left.

Article 18. When a vehicle or tramcar intends to go into a broad road from narrow road, it must give way to the vehicle or tramcar which happen to be on the broad road at that time, by stopping for a while or proceeding at a reduced speed, irrespective of the provisions of the preceding tow (2) Articles. However, the provision of the preceding paragraph shall not apply in regard to an emergency motor vehicle.

Article 19. In case when an emergency motor vehicle approaches a vehicle (an emergency motor vehicle omitted) or a tramcar at a place near an intersection, the latter must give way to the former by stopping the tramcar for a while at place other then the intersection, or stopping the vehicle for a while close to the left side of a road at the place other then the intersection. In case when an emergency motor vehicle passes through an intersection wherein the indication of stop is made, it may proceed at a reduced speed paying attention to the safety of traffic, only when a special emergency requires it.

Article 20. The necessary matters in case where a vehicle or tramcar must proceed at a reduced speed shall be prescribed by an Order.

Article 21. Necessary matters on places wherein stoppage or parking is prohibited and other methods of stoppage or parking shall be prescribed by an Order. The Prefectural Governors may place necessary restrictions on the time or place of parking.

Article 22. In case drivers of vehicles intend to start, to take left turn and right turn, to proceed at a reduced speed and to stop or to drive backward or in case they intend to give way for overtaking to the vehicles that come after them, a sign with hands, direction indicator, or other methods must be made. Necessary matters on the signs of the preceding paragraph shall be prescribed by an Order.

Article 23. Necessary matters on restriction of getting on, loading or trailing shall be prescribed by an Order. Police officials, in case they recognize it necessary for the prevention of dangers in getting on, loading or trailing of verious cars, may stop the driving of various cars for a while.

Chapter III. Miscellaneous Rules

Article 24. In case there has happened the killing or injuring of a person or the damaging or destroying of things due to the traffic of vehicles, the driver and carman and other employees must take the necessary measures such as relief of the victim, etc., according to the provisions of the Order. In the preceding case, those who are on board the said vehicles and who are other persons than those mentioned in the said paragraph must not prevent those mentioned in the said paragraph from their taking the measures prescribed in the preceding paragraph.

Article 25. It shall be prohibited to do on a road such acts as obstruct traffic or cause dangers of traffic and an act which is prescribed by an Order.

Article 26. Any person who comes under any of the following items shall obtain the permission of the competent chief of the police station according to provisions prescribed by an Order: 1. A person who wishes to do works or operations on a road; 2. A person who wants to set up a mounment, advertisement, ornamental tower or the like on a road; 3. A person who wants to open a stall, booth or the like on a road; 4. A person who wishes to do the acts prescribed by the prefectural governor. The Competent chief of the police station can order to take necessary measures for the prevention of dangers and for other safety of traffic in connection with issuance of the permission prescribed in the preceding paragraph. In the case where the construction and other equipments and things on the land along the road are feared to cause a terribel danger to the traffics on a road, competent chief of police station can order the possessor thereof to take the necessary measures for the prevention or removal of dangers.

Chapter IV. Penal Provisions

Article 27. Any person who operates a signal machine at random, removes roadmarks or damges or destroys a signal machine, roadmarks or limit line and causes the dangers of traffic on a road, shall be condemned to imprisonment with labor of not more than three (3) years and not less than one (1) month, or shall be fined not more than five thousand (5,000) yen and not less than twenty (20) yen. Any person who sets up at random constructions which are similar to, or obstructive to the effects of a signal machine or roadmarks shall be condemned to imprisonment with labor of not more than six (6) months and not less than one (1) month or shall be fined not more than three thousand (3,000) yen and not less than twenty (20) yen.

Article 28. Any person who comes under any of the following items shall be condemned with to imprisdnment with labor of not more than three (3) months and not less than one (1) month or shall be fined not more than three thousand (3,000) yen and not less than twenty (20) yen: 1. A person who violates the provisions of Par.1 of Art.7, Par.1 of Art.9 or Par.1 of Art.24; 2. A person who violates the disposition in compliance with the provisions of Par.2 of Art.23 or Par.2 or Par.3 of Art.26.

Article 29. Any person who comes under one of the following items shall be imposid a fine of not more than one thousand (1,000) yen: 1. A person who violates the provisions of Par.1 of Art.8, Par.5 of Art.9, Art.11, Par.1 of Art.22, Par.2 of Art.24, Art.25 or Par.1 of Art.26; 2. A person who commit such acts as to violate the provisions of Art.5, Art.12, Art.14, Art.15, Par.2 of Art.16, Art.17, Par.1 of Art.18, or Par.1 of Art.19; 3. A driver of vehicles who commit such as acts to violate the provisions of Art.3 or Par.1 of Art.4; 4. A person who violates the prohibition or restriction as provided for by Art.6, or Par.2 of Art.21.

Article 30. In the orders in compliance with the provisions of Par.2 of Art.4, Par.2 of Art.8, Par.6 of Art.9, Art.13, Art.20, Par.1 of Art.21 or Par 1 of Art.23, penal rules for a fine of not more than one thousand (1,000) yen may be provided.

Article 31. In case a representative of the juridical person or a deputy or a employee of a juridical person or a person has violated the provisions of Par.1 of Art.26 or dispositions in compliance with the provisions of Par.2 or Par.2 of Art.26, in regard to the business of the juridical person or the person, the penalty of fine of the respective Articles shall be imposed on the juridical person or the person, other than giving a punishment to the persons who committed the action.