When you need it
This site offers information based on guidance from public bodies, oil companies, rental car companies, JAF and others, as a starting point when something goes wrong on your trip (as of September 2026; it isn’t an explanation of the law). How things are handled differs by station and by company, and it can change. When you actually run into trouble, check with the staff on the spot, the information from the company you rented from, and the official information listed at the end of this article.
Here are seven questions for when you get stuck partway through filling up, or before you return the car.
1 I couldn’t fill the tank before returning the car
Times Car Rental says it’s fine to return the car as it is.
In that case, you pay for fuel using the company’s own calculation. Toyota Rent a Car, Times Car Rental, ORIX Rent a Car and Nissan Rent a Car calculate it from the distance you drove. Nippon Rent-A-Car calculates it from either the distance or what’s left on the fuel gauge.
Nippon Rent-A-Car and Nissan Rent a Car say this costs more than the actual price of the fuel.
There’s more in “Returning a Rental Car Full in Japan.”
When you return the car, tell the staff you couldn’t fill the tank.
2 I put in the wrong fuel
Don’t start the engine. Don’t switch on the ignition either.
Call the staff right away.
Putting diesel in a gasoline car, or gasoline in a diesel car, makes the engine stall or break down. Toyota Rent a Car says putting in the wrong fuel will damage the car so it won’t run.
If you put high-octane in a car that takes regular, the engine usually won’t be damaged, JAF says.
At Nippon Rent-A-Car and Nissan Rent a Car, damage and repairs caused by putting in the wrong fuel aren’t covered.
Don’t start the engine. Wait for the staff to come.
When the staff member comes, point to show them the name of the fuel you put in, using the characters on the nozzle or the words in “Gas Station Japanese” (レギュラー, ハイオク, 軽油).
3 I can’t get past a screen at a self-service pump
Some pumps have a button to call staff.
If you can’t find one, press the intercom near the pump. It connects you to the station staff.
When the staff member comes, point to the characters on the screen that you don’t understand. You can look up what they mean in “Gas Station Japanese.”
4 My change didn’t come out
Some stations give you your change from a 自動つり銭機 (automatic change machine). Hold the barcode on your receipt up to the machine’s reader.
At some stations, you enter the number of the pump you used at the payment machine, or tell it to the cashier.
If you’re not sure, ask over the intercom.
5 I forgot to close the fuel cap
Call the contact number on the receipt (領収証) from the station where you filled up.
That’s another reason to hold on to your receipt.
6 My card shows a larger amount than I put in
There’s a system that holds a larger amount first, until the amount for the fuel is set. According to descriptions from Japanese payment services, once the real amount is set, the charge is corrected to it.
There’s more in “Card Holds at Gas Stations in Japan.” When your statement comes later, check what you actually paid for the fuel you put in.
7 I’m low on fuel, at night or in the countryside
If you find a station that’s open, fill up there. The Furano Tourism Association also says that when you’re driving at night and see a station open 24 hours, you should always fill up.
What to do if you run out of fuel and the car stops is in “Breakdown, Flat Tire, Dead Battery, Locked-In Key, Out of Gas — A Step Card for When Your Car Stops.”
There’s more in “Driving in Rural Japan and at Night — Gas Station Opening Hours and the Half-Tank Rule.” From now on, fill up when the fuel gauge hits half.
※ What the pumps can do, how you settle up, how wrong fuel is handled, how the fuel charge is calculated and so on differ by station and by rental car company. When you actually run into trouble, follow the staff on the spot and the instructions of the company you rented from.
