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Everyone should wear a seatbelt.And don't forget the people sitting in back.

The fatality rate of people not wearing seat belts is 9.2 times higher than those wearing seatbelts on expressways. A seatbelt is a life net protecting you and your family. Everyone, whether sitting in the driver's seat, next to the driver or in the back seats, should always wear a seatbelt.

In general, Japan's expressways are toll roads. the following gives an overview of Japan's expressway network, how to pay the tolls, and related matters.

1. Always insert your ETC card all the way into the slot and remember the expiration date!Securely insert your ETC

card into the vehicle onboard device. Be sure to remember your ETC card expiration date.

If you forget to insert your ETC card or allow it to expire, the tollgate bar will not operate and you will have to stop the car.

2. Check which lanes allow ETC!Before entering, check

which lanes allow payment by ETC.

Be aware of ETC lane directions, signals, and signs as you proceed through the tollgate.

3. Do not exceed 20 km/h when entering the lane!Enter at less than 20

km/hour and drive slowly through the ETC lane.

The ETC system requires that you enter at less than 20 km/hour and drive slowly through the ETC lane.

Carelessly enter ing the wrong lane or forgetting to insert your card can result in unforeseen delays such as preventing the tollgates from opening and closing and blocking the cars behind you. Therefore, to ensure the safety of yourself and others, please always reduce speed to less than 20 km/hour and drive slowly through the ETC lane.

4. Maintain a safe distance between vehicles! Always maintain a safe

vehicle distance when in the ETC lane.

5. Be sure to check the roadside display monitor and the position of the ETC bar!

Drive slowly through the ETC lane and always check the roadside display monitor and the position of the ETC bar as you go through the lane.

6. You can also use the ETC lane at Exit tollgates.

What to do if the ETC bar does not open

Entrance1. An attendant speaks to the driver through the intercom.2. A toll pass ticket is issued, which you take from the green

automatic ticket machine.3. You cannot travel through the ETC lane at the exit.

Enter a general lane and hand your toll pass ticket and ETC card to the tollgate attendant.

Exit1. An attendant speaks to the driver through the intercom.

Please turn on your hazard lights and wait.2. An attendant comes to the car. Please follow the

attendant’s instructions.3. Hand your ETC card to the tollgate attendant. The

attendant will calculate your toll.The attendant will ask you at what time and at which tollgate you entered the expressway.

Caution! Even if the tollgate bar does not open, never move your vehicle backwards.

Advice for Driving on expressway

1

2

Everyone should wear a seatbelt.

How to Use ETC

And don't forget child safety seats!

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All expressways operated by East Nippon Expressway Company are toll expressways. It is important to note that the toll lanes and procedures are different depending on whether you are paying by cash or credit card or by ETC (electronic toll collection).

Paying by cash or credit card1. At the Entrance and Exit tollgates, use one of the General

lanes.

2. At the Entrance tollgate, collect your toll pass ticket from the automatic ticket machine. The ticket will show the vehicle classifi cation, name of the entrance interchange, date and time of issuance, and other information. (*Some entrance tollgates allow cash prepayment.)

3. At the Exit tollgate, hand your toll pass ticket to the attendant and pay the toll with cash or a credit card. Cash payment must be in Japanese yen.

Paying by ETC1. ETC is an automatic system that allows you to pay the

toll without stopping the car. The system is based on wireless communication between the antenna installed at the tollgate and the ETC onboard device in your vehicle.

2. In order to use the ETC system, you must have a vehicle onboard device, and an ETC card issued by your credit card company must be inserted into the device. Rental car companies also have cars equipped with an onboard device and an ETC card; please check with the company when making your rental car arrangements.

3. At the Entrance and Exit tollgates, use one of the lanes marked ETC.

Direction signs indicating the position of ETC lanes are installed at the approach to the Exit tollgates. As you approach the tollgate, refer to the sign and proceed to an ETC lane.

3 How to Pay the Expressway Toll

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An expressway is a roadway that allows vehicles to travel at high speed. Drivers who habitually ignore precautions and violate traffi c rules are the cause of major accidents. We urge you to observe all traffi c rules and help make expressway driving safer.

This section covers information that you need to know in order to use our expressways safety and comfortably, as well as useful information in case of an emergency.

Traffic Rules

1 Traffi c Rules and Etiquette

Always drive at a safe speed and within the speed limit!

A roadway’s maximum speed is the speed limit indicated for that particular roadway. All drivers must travel within the speed limit and in accordance with road and traffi c conditions. In other words, each driver is responsible for driving at a safe speed that does not pose a danger on the roadway, and should never take it for granted that it is safe to travel at the speed limit.

In addition, the Chief of the Expressway Traffic Police Unit may temporarily designate a speed slower than the posted speed on an expressway (50 km/h, for example) due to weather conditions, roadwork, or other reasons. Always pay attention to the road signs and drive at a safe speed appropriate for the road and traffi c conditions.

National Expressway main lane vehicular speed limit

Expressways with a posted speed limit: the posted speed limit

Expressways without a posted speed limit: the legal speed limit

National Expressway main lane legal speed limit

Vehicle type Speed limit (km/h)

Large passenger vehicle, ordinary vehicle (three-wheeled excluded),large two-wheeled vehicle, ordinary two-wheeled vehicle

100

Vehicles other than the aboveWhen towing another vehicle

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* The speed limit for main lanes that for structural reasons do not have separate lanes for each direction is 60 km/h, the same as for ordinary roadways.

* Light vehicles with total engine displacement under 600cc are classifi ed as ordinary vehicles under the Road Traffi c Act.

* Towing another vehicle on a National Expressway is allowed when a vehicle with the appropriate structure and equipment for towing is towing a vehicle with the appropriate structure and equipment for being towed.

Maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you!

When driving a vehicle with new tires on a dry road surface, you need to allow a vehicle-to-vehicle distance of about 100 m at 100 km/h and 80 m at 80 km/h.

Moreover, when driving a vehicle with worn tires on a road wet from rain, you need to allow about twice this distance.

In summary, you need to take into account the weather, road condition, tires, load, and other factors so as to maintain a suffi cient distance to avoid a collision if, for some reason, the vehicle in front of you suddenly stops.

Do not cut off other vehicles!You should not change lanes unnecessarily. Moreover, you

should never change lanes in a manner that forces vehicles behind you to suddenly brake or steer in order to avoid hitting you. When changing lanes, always look in the rearview mirror and also look over your shoulder to check behind you. In particular, changing lanes and cutting in front of a vehicle immediately behind you forces the driver to suddenly turn the steering wheel and slam on the brakes, which can cause a major accident.

Keep your eyes on the road!A vehicle traveling at 100 km/h moves at 28 m per second.

Momentarily taking your eyes off the road on an expressway can lead to rear-end and multi-vehicle collisions. When driving, avoid daydreaming, gazing at the scenery, and other distractions, and keep your eyes on the road ahead of you.

Do not stop or park on the expressway!Stopping or parking a vehicle on an expressway is illegal

under the Road Traffi c Act. Stopping on the shoulder or side strip is extremely dangerous because it poses a risk of rear-end collisions with approaching vehicles. Moreover, parking on the shoulder in front of toll gates, payment plazas, and elsewhere in order to wait for the ETC time period discount is not only subject to a fi ne under the Road Traffi c Act, it is dangerous to other drivers. For breaks, please use the nearest service or parking area.

With the exception of the following cases, stopping and parking on expressways is not permitted. Violations are subject to fi nes under the Road Traffi c Act.

Temporarily stopping to prevent a hazardous situationParking on a shoulder or side strip of suffi cient width due to

a breakdown or accidentStopping in order to pay a toll

Do not drive on the shoulder!The expressway shoulder is for vehicles that must

temporarily stop due to an accident or breakdown and for police cars, ambulances, and other emergency vehicles to drive on during an emergency.

Since obstructing the shoulder prevents these emergency vehicles from doing their work, you must never drive on the shoulder, even during a traffi c jam.

Leave passing lanes open!In the following situations, it is permissible to drive in a

passing lane:- When designated by road signs and markers as a traveling lane

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2 Expressway Road Signs

- When passing another vehicle- When you must remain in a passing lane because changing lanes is not permitted

- When temporarily yielding to a nearby emergency vehicle- When driving in the passing lane is unavoidable due to road or other conditions

Continuing to drive in the passing lane despite having completed passing and being able to return to the vehicle traffi c lane is a lane violation. Moreover, when passing another vehicle you must drive in the lane immediately to the right of the vehicle traffi c lane, and you cannot exceed the speed limit for the expressway even when passing another vehicle.

* “When driving in the passing lane is unavoidable due to road or other conditions” means that the designated vehicle traffic lane is unavailable due to damage, construction, or other reasons and when vehicle traffi c lanes are too crowded to allow the vehicle to immediately return to the lane after having completed passing.

Expressways are one-way traffic!Vehicles drive the wrong way on expressways when they

go in the wrong direction from service and parking areas to return to the main road, when they pass an exit interchange, and when they make U-turns on the main road or near toll gates.

Expressways are one-way traffic. One person’s carelessness can cause an accident or other tragic situation. Therefore, observe the road signs and markers indicating the driving direction so that you never drive in the wrong direction on an expressway.

At the tail-end of a traffic jam, turn on your hazard lights to warn the vehicles behind you!

The middle and tail-end of traffi c jams are especially prone to rear-end collisions. If you see a traffi c jam ahead and you

Road signsEntrance road signs

At general intersections near expressway entrances, road signs are installed showing the name of the expressway and the interchange along with signs indicating the direction of the expressway entrance.

Exit road signsAt the approach to expressway exits, road signs are

installed to announce the upcoming exit and to indicate its direction and the roads it accesses.

need to reduce your speed or stop, turn on your hazard lights to warn the vehicles behind you.

Be aware of the angle of your headlight beams!Vehicles on expressways travel at higher speeds than on

ordinary roads and drivers need to know the road and traffi c conditions farther ahead than on ordinary roads. For this reason, when driving through tunnels and other places with poor visibility on expressways both at night and daytime, in principle you should turn on your headlights to extend the visibility farther compared to an ordinary road.

Moreover, when vehicles cross each other or directly face each while traveling, drivers should adjust the brightness and angle of the headlamps so as to not risk interfering with other vehicles and traffi c.

Using the headlights at high-beam or low-beam depends on the roadway structure (whether or not it has a center median partition, for example) and traffi c conditions (whether or not there is opposing traffic, for example), and drivers should make every effort to set the angle of the headlights so as not to blind other drivers.

Moreover, illuminated headlights warn other drivers of your presence, so be sure to turn them on during early twilight and when in tunnels.

Perform a thorough check and adjustment before departure!

The expressway shoulder is for vehicles that must temporarily stop due to an accident or breakdown and for police cars, ambulances, and other emergency vehicles to drive on during an emergency.

Since obstructing the shoulder prevents these emergency vehicles from doing their work, you must never drive on the shoulder, even during a traffi c jam.

Rest facility road signsRest facility road signs (service area)

Rest facility road signs (parking area)

Available rest area facilities

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There are an increasing number of minor accidents and more serious accidents on expressways in which the driver and passengers in a vehicle forced to stop because of a breakdown are hit by a vehicle from behind. Expressways are not the same as regular roads or streets.

Make sure that you take the following precautions in case an accident occurs!

3 If an Accident Occurs

If you are in a stopped vehicleA minimum amount of caution and action can make the

difference between life and death. Take a moment now to double-check your preparedness!

1. Never walk on the expressway

If an accident forces you to stop your car, do not walk in the lanes or on the shoulder of the expressway. An expressway is not a regular road or street!

Never behave as you would on a normal road. Immediately move your vehicle to the shoulder. If you cannot move your vehicle, give the following items priority.

2. Signal to approaching vehicles

Drivers in approaching vehicles may not realize that a vehicle ahead of them has stopped.

Take the following safety measures to warn approaching vehicles.

1. Turn on your hazard lights2. Ignite fl ares3. Set up ‘stopped vehicle’ warning signs and equipment

3. Evacuate to a safe areaAfter making sure that the traffi c lanes are safe, the driver and

all passengers should move to a safe area, such as outside the guard rail, and wait for assistance. It is not safe to wait inside the vehicle.

4. Notifi cation after evacuationNotify the authorities via 110, emergency telephone, road

emergency 9910, or other appropriate means.

Emergency telephones are installed every kilometer along main routes and every 200m inside tunnels. *You can also dial road emergency 9910 from a mobile phone.

Precautions for all driversWhen driving, be sure to always observe the following

points and drive safely.

1. Anticipate hazards When you encounter a stopped vehicle, remember that

there may be people nearby or out of view. Always assume that someone might appear at any time

and be prepared for danger.

2. Pay attention to informationSources such as expressway traffic information signs

and highway radio provide information about expressway emergencies. Pay attention to “accident ahead”, “vehicle breakdown”, and other emergency information and drive carefully.

3. Look out for the tail end of traffi c jams! Slow down early.

Traffi c jams often occur during the vacation season and at other busy times of the year. If you encounter a traffi c jam, brake early, and turn on your hazard lights to alert the drivers behind you.

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Driving in the wrong direction can lead to a tragic accident that involves other innocent people.Never drive in the wrong direction.

4 Never Drive in the Wrong Direction

Expressways are one-wayCheck the direction of traffi c indicated on road signs and on

the road surface.If you accidentally head off in the wrong destination or go

past your destination, continue driving and exit at the next interchange.

Do not make a U-turn on the main road or near a tollgate.

If you see a car going in the wrong directionNotify a tollgate attendant, use the nearest SA or PA

emergency telephone, or have a passenger dial road emergency 9910.

We provide information alerts about cars going in the wrong direction.

Information signs and highway radio immediately broadcast the information.

If you see or hear information about a wrong-way driver, slow down, maintain a safe distance from other vehicles, and drive in the left-most lane.

If you see a driver going the wrong way in front of you, stop on the shoulder or a similarly safe place to avoid a collision. *Wrong-way drivers almost always tend to drive in the passing lane.

When driving in the wrong direction is most likely to occur

Driving in the wrong direction is more likely to occur under certain conditions. Understand these conditions in advance and make every effort to drive safely.

Near interchanges

Near tollgates

Near service and parking areas

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–In order to drive safely and comfortably on expressways in the winter–

In a typical year, accidents suddenly increase around November, the beginning of winter. In winter, road surfaces become extremely slippery because they are covered with snow and ice, so driving at the same speeds and same steering as in summer is quite dangerous.

Always drive with great care and with possible dangers in mind.

Use expressways safely and comfortably in the winter

Be extra careful in these kinds of places!

Next to a large vehicle

When you are driving behind or next to a large vehicle, a cloud of snow can decrease your visibility, so be careful.

Long downhill stretches

Driving downhill for long distances may cause your speed to increase. Take care to maintain an appropriate speed and a safe distance from the vehicle ahead of you.

On bridges

Winter winds cause a lot of black ice. Be careful not to skid.

Road conditions in the shade

Pay close attention to road conditions in the shade on mountain roads and under bridges. lce develops easily in these areas due to the low temperature.

Before curves

Driving too fast may cause an accident. Reduce your speed before curves and avoid abrupt steering and sudden stops.

Entrances and exits of tunnels

High winds and sudden snow may occur. Take care when driving through tunnels as the road inside may become icy.

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Roads are being cleared of snow 24 hours a day to allow drivers to use them more safely and comfortably. Depending on road conditions, this work may be going on even after the weather has improved.

Measures for snow and ice

Clearing newly fallen snow

A group of three snowplows and a VMS vehicle is working together to clear entire lanes. So long as this work is going on, passing is not possible.

Work to prevent freezing

To prevent road surfaces from freezing, an anti-freezing agent (sodium chloride) is scattered. Take care in passing while the agent is being sprayed. Take care in passing while the agent is being scattered.

Snow removal for widening

Snow pushed onto the shoulders of roads is cast off the road by rotary-type snowplows.

On bridges and elevated sections of road it is loaded into dump trucks and carried away.

Safety is the first priority, so passing isnot allowed.

Snow cleared aside by snowplows causes differences in level, so for safety's sake passing is not allowed.

You may not pass snowplows in operation.

Snow removal work

Snowplows regularly suspend operationsat some intervals to allow cars to pass.

Snowplows in operation may not be passed, but snowplows suspend operations at some intervals, and pull over to the hard shoulder to allow cars behind them to pass.

Thank you for your understandingand cooperation.