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Peter Lyon18 Apr 2015
NEWS

Drink-driving in Japan is serious business

In the land of the rising sun, passengers can be fined for your drink-driving too

When was the last time you jumped into your car after having a few drinks? Last weekend perhaps? And what had you consumed? Two beers or a couple of white wines maybe? You thought you were OK because Australia's drink-driving blood alcohol limit is 0.05.

But in Japan, things are somewhat different. The country of Kirin and Asahi beer is one of the strictest countries in the world when it comes to drink-driving prosecution.

The law refers to a figure of 0.03 blood-alcohol content, but for all intents and purposes, this country has a zero-tolerance policy towards drink-driving.  So basically, one beer and you’re gone.  

If you get caught with even a hint of alcohol on your breath, you will be tested and most probably fined. But if you are over that 0.03 limit then you could be sentenced to up to five years in prison or subject to a fine of up to $10,000.

But that’s only half the story.  If you had passengers in the car with you when you got pulled over, they too will be prosecuted and fined for being so irresponsible as to let you drink and drive.

And there’s more!  The bar that poured your beers and then let you drive can be fined too! We're not joking. In a country where group harmony is more important than the individual, joint responsibility is taken to the extreme. So as you might imagine, nobody drinks and drives anymore in Japan.

In a land where ‘sake’ rice wine is a favourite beverage, drink-driving is seen as a serious crime that can lead to horrendous accidents.  If you’re a company employee and you get caught for drink-driving, almost half of all companies will fire you on the spot.

And you don’t even have to be driving a car or motorcycle. Japanese police will also stop cyclists if they suspect the rider of drink-riding. In contrast to Australia, there is a far higher percentage of Japanese who ride bicycles, and on narrow roads and footpaths. So the police are as concerned with sidewalk safety as they are with road traffic laws. That’s why you will often see police pulling over cyclists.

In response to these severe penalties, the demand for a certain beverage has risen dramatically over the past decade: non-alcohol beer.

And it’s not just beer. From the amber fluid to cocktails to wine, Japan now has around 30 different types of non-alcohol drinks. With such a choice, you can come by car, have some drinks, and not have to worry about drink-driving.

But for those who aren’t satisfied with non-alcohol drinks and still want to drive, here’s the answer. The skipper service. With one call, you can hire a replacement driver, or should we say drivers. A car with two drivers will turn up at your bar — one will drive you home while the other follows, ready to pick up his colleague after you are seen off.

So if you’re coming to Japan and you plan to drive, don’t drink beforehand. If you do, then hire a skipper. If you’re taking a train, bus or taxi, then you can drink to your heart’s content. But if you have to drive, avoid the risk of jail time and just order a non-alcohol beer.

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Written byPeter Lyon
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