①The rules for vehicle and streetcar traffic over roads are governed by this Chapter.

②To apply this Chapter, a vehicle that is being towed by a motor vehicle or motorized bicycle is deemed to be part of that motor vehicle or motorized bicycle.

③The provisions of this Chapter that pertain to traffic at intersections do not apply to a motor vehicle proceeding along a main roadway.

④To apply this Chapter to a road with a bicycle path, the bicycle path is treated as one roadway and the part of the road that is not the bicycle path is treated as another roadway.

①On a road with demarcations between a sidewalk or a side strip (hereinafter referred to in this Article and paragraph (1) of the following Article as a "sidewalk or side strip") and the roadway, a vehicle must proceed along the roadway; provided, however, that this does not apply if circumstances compel the driver to cross the sidewalk or side strip in order to enter or leave a facility or place outside the road, or when the vehicle passes through the sidewalk or side strip to the extent necessary for the driver to stop or park on the sidewalk or side strip pursuant to Article 47, paragraph (3) or Article 48.

②In a case as referred to in the proviso to the preceding paragraph, the vehicle must come to a stop immediately before entering the sidewalk or side strip and must not prevent pedestrians from proceeding.

③A vehicle other than a specified small motorized bicycle (meaning a motorized bicycle that falls under Article 2, paragraph (1), item (x), (b); the same applies hereinafter), a two-wheeled or three-wheeled bicycle, or any other vehicle that satisfies the criteria that Cabinet Office Order prescribes as being of a body size and structure not likely to hinder other vehicles from proceeding on a bicycle path (this excludes such vehicles with a sidecar and those that are towing other vehicles) must not enter onto a bicycle path; provided, however, that a vehicle may cut across a bicycle path if circumstances compel the driver to do so in order to enter or leave a facility or place outside the road.

④A vehicle must proceed along the part of the road (or the part of the roadway, if the road with demarcations between the sidewalk or side strip and the roadway; the same applies hereinafter through Section 9-2) to the left of the center (if a railway track runs along the side edge of a road, this means the center of the part of the road that does not include the track bed, and if a center line is indicated by road signs or markings, the center of the road is the part of the road that is indicated to be the center line; the same applies hereinafter) (hereinafter, the part of the road to the left of the center is referred to as the "left side" of the road).

⑤Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, a vehicle may stray fully or partially onto the part of the road to the right side of the center (hereinafter referred to as the "right side" of the road) in the cases set forth in the following items. In such a case, the driver of the vehicle must ensure that as little of the vehicle as possible strays onto the right side, except in the case set forth in item (i):

⑥It is prohibited for a vehicle to enter a safety zone or any other part of the road that road signs or markings indicate is not being made available for vehicle traffic.

①Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of the preceding Article, among specified small motorized bicycles, one that falls under all of the following items and is not towing another vehicle (excluding one that can be made to travel by remote operation; referred to as a "specified small motorized bicycle under the special exception" in this Article and the following Article) may travel on a sidewalk where road signs or markings provide that a specified small motorized bicycle under the special exception may travel on a sidewalk; provided, however, that this does not apply where an officer, finding it necessary to ensure the safety of pedestrians, has instructed that the sidewalk must not be used.

②In the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, a specified small motorized bicycle under the special exception must drive at reduced speed on the part of the sidewalk between the center and the roadway (or, if there is a part of the sidewalk for use by standard bicycles, on that part), and must come to a stop if its progress would prevent pedestrians from proceeding; provided, however, that, as regards the part of the sidewalk for use by standard bicycles, if there are no pedestrians proceeding down or about to enter that part, the bicycle may travel down it at a safe speed and in a safe manner, in keeping with sidewalk conditions.

①Notwithstanding Article 17, paragraph (1), a specified small motorized bicycle under the special exception and a light road vehicle may use a side strip on the left side of a road (other than a side strip demarcated by road markings prohibiting use by specified small motorized bicycles under the special exception and light road vehicles) unless doing so would greatly prevent pedestrians from proceeding.

②In the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, the driver of a specified small motorized bicycle under the special exception or a light road vehicle must progress down the side strip at such a speed and in such a way as to not prevent pedestrians from proceeding.

①Unless a vehicle (other than a trolleybus) is proceeding down a road with vehicle traffic lanes, it must proceed down the road keeping to the left side of the road if it is a motor vehicle or general motorized bicycle (meaning a motorized bicycle that falls under Article 2, paragraph (1), item (x), (a); the same applies hereinafter), and keeping to the left edge of the road if it is a specified small motorized bicycle or a light road vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a "specified small motorized bicycle or light road vehicle"); provided, however, that this does not apply when the driver is passing; if the driver is moving towards the center or right edge of a road pursuant to Article 25, paragraph (2) or Article 34, paragraph (2) or (4); or if road conditions or other circumstances compel the driver to do otherwise.

②When passing a pedestrian while proceeding, pursuant to the preceding paragraph, down a road without demarcations between the sidewalk and the roadway or in any other case, the driver of a vehicle must maintain a safe distance between the vehicle and the pedestrian or drive at a reduced speed.

③When a vehicle (other than a specified small motorized bicycle or light road vehicle) goes by on the right side of a specified small motorized bicycle or light road vehicle proceeding in the same direction as that vehicle (excluding one proceeding on a sidewalk or bicycle path) (excluding the case of passing that specified small motorized bicycle or light road vehicle), and there is not sufficient distance between that vehicle and that specified small motorized bicycle or light road vehicle, the vehicle must proceed at a safe speed suited to the distance from that specified small motorized bicycle or light road vehicle.

④In the case prescribed in the preceding paragraph, that specified small motorized bicycle or light road vehicle must proceed keeping to the left edge of the road as far as possible.

The driver of a light road vehicle must not pull abreast of another light road vehicle if doing so would result in those light road vehicles traveling abreast of each other.

①On a road with vehicle traffic lanes, a vehicle must proceed down the first lane from the left edge of the road; provided, however, that if the left side of the road (or the road itself, if it is a one-way street) has at least three vehicle traffic lanes, a motor vehicle (other than a special small motor vehicle or motor vehicle designated by road signs or markings) may proceed down any vehicle traffic lane other than the rightmost lane, pursuant to Cabinet Order and in accordance with its speed.

②On a road with vehicle traffic lanes, if road signs or markings specify a traffic distribution different from that which the preceding paragraph prescribes, vehicles must abide by that distribution of traffic in proceeding down those vehicle traffic lanes.

③When passing; when moving towards the left edge, center, or right edge of a road pursuant to Article 18, paragraph (4), Article 25, paragraph (1) or (2), Article 34, paragraphs (1) through (5) or Article 35-2; when proceeding in accordance with Article 35, paragraph (1); when continuing along a vehicle traffic lane down which the vehicle has been proceeding pursuant to Article 26-2, paragraph (3); when temporarily giving way pursuant to Article 40, paragraph (2); or if road conditions or other circumstances compel it, the driver of a vehicle may proceed other than in accordance with the preceding two paragraphs. When passing another vehicle in such a case, the driver must use the vehicle traffic lane that is to the immediate right of the vehicle traffic lane in which the vehicle has been proceeding.

①On a road with a vehicle traffic lane indicated by road signs or markings to be a priority lane for motor vehicles that a provider of motor carrier services for ride-sharing by general passengers as prescribed in Article 9, paragraph (1) of the Road Transportation Act make available for scheduled transportation on fixed routes as prescribed in Article 5, paragraph (1), item (iii) of that Act or for any other motor vehicle as prescribed by Cabinet Order (hereinafter referred to in this Article as a "fixed-route bus or other such motor vehicle"), a motor vehicle (other than a fixed-route bus or other such motor vehicle; the same applies hereinafter in this Article) must not proceed down that lane if traffic congestion on the road would render it unable to move out of the lane in the event that a fixed-route bus or other such motor vehicle approached from behind; and if a fixed-route bus or other such motor vehicle approaches from behind when a motor vehicle is proceeding down such a lane, the motor vehicle must promptly move out of the lane so as not to obstruct its regular operation; provided, however, that this does not apply if a motor vehicle is required pursuant to other provisions of this Act to proceed down that lane or if a motor vehicle must proceed down that lane due to road conditions or other compelling circumstances.

②The main clause of paragraph (1) of the preceding Article does not apply to a motor vehicle proceeding along any vehicle traffic lane or road section that is to the immediate right of the vehicle traffic lane prescribed in the preceding paragraph.