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[[Japan]] is one of the few countries outside the [[Commonwealth of Nations]] to drive on the left. An informal practice of left-hand passage dates at least to the [[Edo period]], when [[samurai]] are said to have passed each other to the left in order to avoid knocking swords with each other (as swords were always worn to the left side). During the late 1800s, Japan built its first railways with British technical assistance, and double-tracked railways adopted the British practice of running on the left. Stage Coach Order issued in 1870 and the revision in 1872 said mutually approaching horses had to avoid each other by shifting to the left.<ref>[http://d-arch.ide.go.jp/je_archive/society/book_unu_jpe6_d03_03.html Traffic and transportation conditions 1868_1891]_JETRO (Japanese) {{Lang|ja|_________________________1872___5__________________________}}</ref> An order issued in 1881 said mutually approaching horses and vehicles had to avoid each other by shifting to the left. An order issued in 1885 stated that general horses and vehicles had to avoid to the left, but they also had to avoid to the right when they met army troops, until the double standard was legally resolved in 1924.<ref>{{cite web | title = Why Does Japan Drive On The Left | publisher = 2pass.co.uk |url= http://www.2pass.co.uk/japan.htm | accessdate=2006-08-11 }}</ref>
After the defeat of [[Japan]] during [[World War II]], [[Okinawa]] was [[United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands|under control of the United States]] and made to drive on the right. Okinawa was returned to Japanese control in 1972 and changed back to driving on the left six years later, at 06:00 on 30 July 1978, as certain treaties required nations to have one system throughout their territory.<ref>Andrew H. Malcolm, "[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0D1FFD355513728DDDAC0894DF405B888BF1D3&scp=7&sq=okinawa%20drive%20left%20right&st=cse U-Turn for Okinawa: From Right-Hand Driving to Left; Extra Policemen Assigned]" ''The New York Times'', July 5, 1978, Page A2.</ref> The changeover operation was known as [[730 (transport)|730]] (''Nana-San-Maru''). Okinawa is one of very few places to have changed from right- to left- traffic in the late [[20th century]].
Japan does allow both RHD and LHD vehicles on their roads. In some cases the same vehicle is available in both LHD and RHD configurations.
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