Rules of the Road Japan: Helmets
Do you need to wear a helmet when you ride a motorcycle or moped in Japan?
Short answer: All motorcycle and moped riders and passengers in Japan must wear a helmet that was approved and has a PSC mark, SG mark, or JIS mark.
Now, let’s get into the weeds… This article will cover motorcycle helmets for use on public roads.
In Japan, as with most places in the world, there are several varieties of helmets available.
フルフェイスヘルメット (Full Face Helmet)
シールド付きジェットヘルメット (Jet Helmet with a shield)
システムヘルメット (System Helmet)
オフロードヘルメット (Off-Road Helmet)
半帽ヘルメット (Half Cap)
HJC Off-Road helmet with HJC Sticker, PSC/SG Certification Sticker, and MFJ Certification Sticker.
All helmets that are sold in Japan must pass PSC and/or SG Certification. There will be a PSCマーク (PSC Mark) or an SGマーク (SG mark) on the helmet, respectively. There is also a JISマーク (JIS Mark) that is also a recognized standard.
You can choose any type of helmet that you like but you need to be careful. Half cap, half helmet, skull cap, half shell helmets are approved for bikes 125cc or smaller. Other types may also only be approved for smaller bikes so pay attention when you are shopping. They are strongly recommended for smaller bikes because half caps do not provide the same protection that a full face helmet offers.
Punishment
What if you wear a foreign helmet (DOT / SNELL / ECE / FIM)? Can you wear a helmet for 125cc bikes on bigger bikes?
This is where it gets interesting. Read to the end!
The consensus online is that you will not be stopped by the police for it but you should still wear the appropriate helmet.
On an ordinary day, ordinary ride, no accidents, all is good. You should be fine. However, if you have an accident and your helmet does not meet Japanese safety standards, your insurance may be invalidated. Confirm that with your insurance company. If you are renting a bike in Japan, ask the rental company if there will be any issues. If you live in Japan, you will be better off with a helmet that you bought here. If you are just visiting, make sure you do your research.
Japanese Law as written in Japanese
第九条の五 法第七十一条の四第一項及び第二項の乗車用ヘルメットの基準は、次の各号に定めるとおりとする。
一 左右、上下の視野が十分とれること。
二 風圧によりひさしが垂れて視野を妨げることのない構造であること。
三 著しく聴力を損ねない構造であること。
四 衝撃吸収性があり、かつ、帽体が耐貫通性を有すること。
五 衝撃により容易に脱げないように固定できるあごひもを有すること。
六 重量が二キログラム以下であること。
七 人体を傷つけるおそれがある構造でないこと。
Rough Translation
(Motorcycle Riding Helmet)
Article 9-5 The standards for riding helmets set forth in Article 71-4, paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Act shall be as set forth in the following items:
1) The helmet must have sufficient left and right, and top and bottom fields of view.
2) Under wind pressure, no part of the structure should block your field of view.
3) The structure should not significantly impair hearing.
4) The helmet has shock absorption and the helmet body has penetration resistance.
5) It must have a chin strap that can be fixed so that it will not come off easily due to impact.
6) It must weigh 2 kg or less.
7) The structure should not put you at risk of bodily damage or injury.
As you can see from the translation, there is no mention of certifying bodies or other requirements. The interpretation of these laws can vary from officer to officer and jurisdiction to jurisdiction but again, if it passed the Japanese standards to be sold in a shop in Japan, an unmodified helmet should not be questioned by the police.
Another helmet with only a PSC and SG mark.
If there are any other questions about things that I have not covered, I will be happy to update this page so please feel free to ask questions and leave comments.
Thank you for reading. I hope that you can enjoy a safe ride wherever you are in the world!
Version 1.0: June 16th, 2021
