Japan Medium Vehicle Theory study guide
Japan Medium Vehicle Theory · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Japan Medium Vehicle Class 1 License (中型自動車一種免許) is a Japanese driving credential that sits between ordinary and large vehicle licences. It covers vehicles with a gross vehicle weight between 5 and 11 tonnes, a maximum payload between 3 and 6.5 tonnes, or passenger capacity of 11 to 29 people plus the driver. The Japan Medium Vehicle Theory study guide has 8 sections and about 2,182 words.
01Traffic Law, Licence Classes and Vehicle Classification for Medium Vehicles
The exam opens with classification because speed limits, road restrictions and inspection intervals are all keyed to it. A vehicle is 大型 when gross weight reaches 11 t, payload 6.5 t, or capacity 30 people.
340 words, about 2 min02Safe Driving Practice and Hazard Prediction
Hazard prediction is examined as a sequence: 認知, 判断, 操作. Marks go to candidates who name the specific hazard - a cyclist about to swing around a parked car, a child between vehicles, a right-turning car masking an oncoming motorcycle - and then state the response.
269 words, about 1 min03Vehicle Characteristics and Handling of Medium Vehicles
A medium truck is roughly 2.2–2.5 m wide, often over 3 m tall, with a long wheelbase and rear overhang. The rear wheels track inside the front wheels, so 内輪差 on a left turn can put the rear tyre onto the kerb or across a cyclist.
290 words, about 1 min04Cargo, Passengers and Weight/Height Limits
Three numbers govern: 最大積載量, 車両総重量 and axle load. Overloading is not merely a fine - it lengthens braking distance, overheats tyres, destabilises the rear axle and can void insurance cover.
267 words, about 1 min05Adverse Conditions and Emergency Procedures
Wet roads roughly double braking distance. Standing water causes ハイドロプレーニング, where the tyre floats and steering and braking stop responding - ease off the accelerator and hold the wheel straight rather than braking.
274 words, about 1 min06Inspection, Maintenance and Pre-Trip Checks
The pre-trip walk-around is examinable as a routine: tyres (pressure, tread, cuts, stones), wheel nuts, brake and air pressure build-up, oil and coolant, lamps and indicators, wipers, mirrors, washer fluid, load and rope. Air-braked vehicles need the tank drained of water and pressure built to specification before moving.
258 words, about 1 min07Accidents, First Aid and Reporting Obligations
After any accident causing injury or damage, the driver must stop immediately, prevent further danger (hazard lamps, warning triangle, moving vehicles clear if safe), assist the injured, and report to police. Leaving the scene is a serious offence even where only property is damaged.
245 words, about 1 min08Driver Responsibilities, Etiquette and Environmental Driving
A medium-vehicle licence is a social trust: the vehicle can kill, so obligations extend past legality into courtesy and predictability. Signal early, give cyclists and pedestrians room, avoid tailgating and cutting in, and keep the cab free of distractions.
239 words, about 1 min