First Japanese license mistep

I took Friday afternoon off so I can drive to Daiei to begin converting my expired international driver's license to a valid Japanese license. I thought it would be a nice gesture to Japanese traffic laws.

Because US driver's licenses are issued by individual states without official treaties with the Japanese government, instead of a simple paper conversion (like Canadian or UK licenses) I would have to take the Japanese road test. I hear this thing is pretty tough, S-turns and figure-8's and parallel park with no margins. But before I even began to do that, I would have to first make an appointment to turn in my paperwork.

I struggled through the phone conversation earlier in the week, and the guy told me that I should bring a translator on the phone. I couldn't find one so I didn't, figuring that I would be able to somehow get through it with my slightly improved Japanese ability.

I didn't. I probably could have if I realized that June 2003, the date of issue as written on my license, was not the date when I took my driving test. Mostly I just nodded and blurted out whatever numbers and dates on my head. The interviewer had enough confidence in my Japanese comprehension and the validity of my answers to ask me back again for a second time, with a translator.

Now I have to go in again next week, basically wasting a half vacation day.