
The is a statutory sign that is set up in the Road Traffic
Law of Japan
The law of Japan refers to the legal system in Japan, which is primarily based on legal codes and statutes, with precedents also playing an important role. Japan has a civil law legal system with six legal codes, which were greatly influenced b ...
to indicate "aged person at the wheel". Its official name is .
The law decrees that when a person who is aged 70 and over drives a car and if their old age could affect the driving, they should endeavor to display this mark on both the front and rear of the car. Drivers aged 75 and over are obliged to display the mark.
Conversely, the green and yellow
shoshinsha mark
The or , officially , is a green and yellow V-shaped symbol that beginner drivers in Japan must display at the designated places at the front and the rear of their cars for one year after they obtain a standard driver's license. Drivers who con ...
(also called wakaba mark) denotes new drivers. Both marks are designed to warn other drivers that the marked driver is not very skilled, either due to inexperience or relative driving age categorisation.
Description

The system was instituted in 1997; until January 2011, its shape was an orange and yellow teardrop-shape, and it was accordingly also called . Some people call it or , but this is a more informal title, and considered rude.
As of 1 February 2011, the shape was changed to the new, four-leafed form.
Other uses
Outside Japan, owners of Japanese
classic car
A classic car is typically described as an automobile 25 years or older, although a car's age is not the only requirement it must meet before being considered a "classic." However, a standard criteria for recognizing cars as classics does not ex ...
s have adopted this symbol to indicate a love for older cars, rather than the driver's age.
Japanese car enthusiasts overseas also use the Koreisha mark to indicate that they are an experienced driver as opposed to the
Wakaba mark
The or , officially , is a green and yellow V-shaped symbol that beginner drivers in Japan must display at the designated places at the front and the rear of their cars for one year after they obtain a standard driver's license. Drivers who con ...
which indicates that they are new or a learner type driver; some members of the
drifting community use the Wakaba stickers to hint at their risky driving style.
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See also
* L-plate
An L-plate is a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for ''learner'', which must be affixed to the front and/or back of a vehicle in many countries if its driver is a learner under instruction, or a motorcycle rider with provisional entit ...
* Shoshinsha mark
The or , officially , is a green and yellow V-shaped symbol that beginner drivers in Japan must display at the designated places at the front and the rear of their cars for one year after they obtain a standard driver's license. Drivers who con ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shoshinsha mark
Law of Japan
Road transport in Japan
Traffic law