[Complete Guide to 2026 Legal Reforms] Traffic Rule Changes You Should Know Before Buying a Used Car

2026 will be a turning point when Japan's transportation environment undergoes significant changes. Multiple amendments to the Road Traffic Act will be implemented in phases, affecting drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.

Of particular note is the bold change that will cut the legal speed limit on residential roads in half, from 60 km/h to 30 km/h. This measure comes in response to the serious reality that approximately half of all traffic fatalities occur while walking or cycling, and about half of those occur in familiar places within 500 meters of the victim's home.

Additionally, enforcement against bicycle users will be strengthened, with blue tickets (traffic violation notices) being applied to those aged 16 and older. Violations that were previously handled with warnings or guidance will now result in fines.

Furthermore, automobile exhaust emissions and noise regulations have been strengthened, raising concerns about the impact on continuing production vehicles, particularly high-performance cars.

**For those considering purchasing a used car, these legal amendments serve as important criteria for vehicle selection.** Choosing vehicles that can adapt to the new traffic environment—such as comprehensive safety features, environmental performance, and ease of daily driving—will become increasingly important going forward.

Starting April 1, 2026, a blue ticket (traffic violation notice) system will be introduced for bicycle users aged 16 and older. This is a significant reform aimed at strengthening enforcement of bicycle traffic violations and reducing traffic accidents.

Traditionally, many traffic violations involving bicycles resulted only in "warnings" without penalties. In 2024, approximately 1.33 million guidance warning tickets were issued nationwide, but they were insufficient as an effective deterrent.

However, traffic accidents involving bicycles have been increasing for two consecutive years, and in 2022 (Reiwa 4), bicycle-side traffic violations were confirmed in 5,201 cases, which is approximately three-quarters of the 7,107 accidents involving fatalities or serious injuries.

The main violations subject to blue tickets are as follows:

Fines vary depending on the severity and circumstances of the violation, but typically range from 5,000 to 12,000 yen. If the fine is not paid, the case may proceed to criminal proceedings, so caution is required.

Please note that serious violations such as driving under the influence of alcohol or driving with alcohol in your system will result in a red ticket (traffic violation ticket) rather than a blue ticket, and are subject to criminal penalties.

While stricter bicycle enforcement may seem unrelated to car drivers at first glance, it actually has a significant impact.

As bicycle users' awareness of traffic rule compliance increases, the risk of accidents between automobiles and bicycles is reduced. In particular, if signal violations and failure to stop at stop signs decrease, head-on collisions at intersections will be reduced, creating a safer driving environment for drivers as well.

Additionally, many people use bicycles in combination with other transportation for commuting or shopping. With the introduction of the blue ticket system, traffic violations while using a bicycle will result in financial penalties, so it's important to be conscious of traffic rules in your daily activities.

Starting April 1, 2026, a new obligation will be established requiring vehicles to reduce speed when passing bicycles and similar vehicles on the right side if sufficient spacing cannot be maintained.

This measure was taken in response to the increasing number of traffic accidents between cars and bicycles where cars collide with the right side of bicycles.

Specifically, the following rules apply:

With this legal amendment, more careful coexistence with bicycles on narrow roads will be required. When choosing a used car, consider the following points:

**At Cars Tree, we have a wide selection of used cars equipped with comprehensive safety features.** We support vehicle selection tailored to customer needs, including vehicle width, visibility, and availability of safety equipment.

Starting September 1, 2026, the legal speed limit on residential roads 5.5 meters wide or less without center lines or median strips will be significantly reduced from 60 km/h to 30 km/h.

This represents an extremely significant change—a reduction to half of the previous statutory speed limit.

"Living roads" refer to narrow roads closely connected to daily life, such as those in residential areas and shopping districts. Previously, through initiatives like "Zone 30/Zone 30 Plus," speed limits of 30 km/h were established in specific areas. However, with this legal amendment, the speed limit will be lowered to 30 km/h on many general roads.

The background of this legal amendment is based on scientific data showing that when a vehicle's speed exceeds 30 km/h, the fatality rate in collisions with pedestrians increases sharply.

Specifically, the following:

As this data shows, the fatality rate rises sharply when speed exceeds 30 km/h. Reducing speed limits on residential roads is a crucial measure for protecting human lives.

Additionally, according to data from the National Police Agency, approximately half of all traffic fatalities occur while walking or riding a bicycle, and about half of those occur in familiar locations within 500 meters of home.

Furthermore, data shows that the proportion of pedestrian and cyclist casualties on residential roads is approximately 1.8 times higher than on roads with a width of 5.5 meters or more.

Starting September 1, 2026, stricter penalty points are expected to be applied for exceeding the 30 km/h speed limit on residential roads.

While specific point values and penalty details will be announced in the future, it is certain that enforcement against speeding violations will be strengthened.

With the reduction of speed limits on residential roads, comfort and safety during low-speed driving become important. When selecting a used car, consider the following points:

**At Car Tree, we have a wide selection of used cars that excel in comfort and safety during low-speed driving.** We will help you choose the optimal vehicle that matches your lifestyle.

Under the revised Road Traffic Act to be enforced by May 23, 2026, the age requirement for semi-medium provisional licenses and ordinary provisional licenses will be lowered from 18 years old to 17 years and 6 months old.

The reason for this reduction is to enable people born early in the academic year to obtain a regular driver's license by the time they graduate from high school.

Under the current Road Traffic Act, the age requirement for taking the semi-medium and regular provisional license and driver's license exams was 18 years or older. Therefore, people born early in the year (January to March) were still 17 years old at the time of high school graduation, and there were cases where they could not obtain their license in time.

With this legal revision, provisional licenses can now be obtained from 17 years and 6 months of age, making it possible to complete the preparation for obtaining a driver's license by high school graduation.

Please note that even if you pass the driver's license exam before turning 18, you will not actually receive a semi-medium or regular license until you turn 18. However, you will be able to start driving immediately after April, when new life events such as employment or entering school begin.

With the lowering of the provisional license age requirement, it is expected that there will be an increase in young people obtaining their licenses immediately upon high school graduation.

Along with this, the need to purchase used cars as a first vehicle is also expected to increase. For young people, new cars are financially challenging, making used cars that can be purchased at affordable prices popular.

**At Car Tree, we have a wide selection of high-quality used cars that even first-time car buyers can choose with confidence.** From selecting a vehicle that fits your budget and needs to after-sales service following your purchase, we provide attentive support.

Starting in fall 2026, stricter noise and exhaust emission regulations ([LICENSE_PLATE] Phase 3) will be applied to vehicles in continued production.

[LICENSE_PLATE] is an international standard for vehicle noise established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). Phase 3 introduces stricter noise standards than previous versions, which may particularly impact high-performance vehicles and sports cars.

Due to these regulations, some high-performance vehicles may face difficulties in continuing production, potentially leading to production discontinuation or specification changes.

The tightening of noise and exhaust emissions regulations also affects the used car market.

**At Car Tree, we have a large selection of used cars with excellent environmental performance.**

We support your selection of environmentally conscious vehicles, including those compliant with the latest regulations, as well as fuel-efficient hybrid and electric vehicles.

With the 2026 legal reforms, awareness of traffic safety is expected to increase more than ever before. When selecting a used car, check whether the following safety features are installed:

With the strengthening of noise and exhaust emission regulations, vehicles with high environmental performance will become increasingly important in the future. When selecting a used vehicle, consider the following points:

With the lowering of speed limits on residential roads and the strengthening of rules for coexistence with bicycles, driving on narrow roads will require greater caution.

When choosing a used car, check the following points:

At Cartree, we support used car selection based on the 2026 legal amendments.

Whether you're buying a used car for the first time or considering a replacement, you can choose with confidence at Car Tree.

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Due to legal revisions in 2026, it is necessary to review previous driving habits. In particular, let's reconfirm the following points:

Companies also need to consider the impact of legal revisions on employee commuting and business-related travel.

If an employee commits a traffic violation and is caught, the following impacts can be expected:

Therefore, companies are required to share information about the details of legal revisions within their organization. It is also recommended to incorporate traffic safety education to raise awareness about traffic safety on a daily basis.

The 2026 legal revision aims to reduce traffic accidents and create a safer society.

It is important to correctly understand the legal revisions and to maintain safe driving practices in your daily driving.

By thoroughly practicing these basic behaviors, you can protect not only yourself but also the safety of those around you.

The year 2026 is significant, as multiple major revisions to the Road Traffic Act will be implemented.

Key Points of Major Legal Amendments:

These legal amendments are aimed at improving traffic safety and will affect drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike.

If you are considering purchasing a used car, consider the following points:

**Cartree supports used car selection based on the 2026 legal reforms.**

We have a wide selection of used vehicles equipped with comprehensive safety features and excellent environmental performance, and we help each customer choose the optimal vehicle tailored to their individual needs.

With legal reforms, the traffic environment will change significantly, but with the right knowledge and appropriate vehicle selection, you can achieve a safe and comfortable car life.

Please find your ideal used car that complies with the new traffic regulations at CarTree.