Even though I now have a Japanese driver’s license, the story that began with a missed stop sign is not completely over yet.

The police case itself is still being processed.

And now I simply have to wait.

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Waiting for the Official Decision

Because the incident involved a traffic violation, the case still needs to go through the official process.

I have not yet received the final verdict or the fine.

From what I understand, this may take about three months.

So for now, the situation remains unresolved.

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Two Parts to the Case

There are two parts involved in this situation.

The first is the traffic violation itself — failing to fully stop at the stop sign.

From what I understand, this is considered a relatively minor violation.

The second issue is that I was driving with an international driver’s license that turned out not to be valid in my particular situation.

I do not yet know how the authorities will ultimately handle that part.

It could simply result in a fine.

But there is also the possibility that my recently issued Japanese driver’s license could be revoked.

For now, all I can do is wait for the official decision.

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Living in Another System

Situations like this are part of living in another country.

Even after years in Japan, there are still moments where I discover that something I assumed to be correct actually works differently here.

Most of the time these discoveries are small administrative surprises rather than major problems.

But they are reminders that living abroad means constantly learning how things work within a different system.

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For Now, I Wait

In the end, what started with a missed stop sign led to:

two evenings at a police station

a visit to the Gifu Driving Center

and the conversion of my Dutch driver’s license into a Japanese one.

Now the only thing left is to wait and see how the situation ultimately unfolds.

If there is a final outcome worth sharing, I will write about it.