Hello everybody, I read all feeds and couldn't find a clear answer.
Is it fine to rent a car and drive in Japan with a driving licence + IDP from HK (1949 Geneva Convention) but holding a french passport ? I want to make sure it's fine if the passport origin is different than the Driving permit & ID.
I do work and live in HK where I got my driving permit. HK is 1949 Geneva convention, recognised by Japan.
Thank you all for your kind help.

I think I would call or message the car rental companies you are considering and ask them directly. It's possible someone here has a French passport and HK drivers license & IDP, but the rental company will be the one giving you a car (or not).

If you are a current resident of HK, have a valid HK drivers license, and have a valid IDP from HK, then it probably would not matter what citizenship and/or passport you hold.

What I can say is this: I am a citizen of the US but I am a resident of Japan (so with only a US passport). I no longer have a US drivers license but I have a Japanese one. I have gotten on multiple occassions an int'l license in Japan (issued by Japan) to use when traveling abroad (including for going to the US). So I would only imagine that if Japan would issue such a int'l license for such a situation, then they would accept it from someone visiting Japan in the same way.

However, that would be how the authorities (police) would probably see it. As far as a desk clerk at a rental car company, if they are not aware of the actual legality, as with most "does not compute" situations a low-level employee may encounter in Japan, it would probably mean lots of phone calls to whomever necessary for seeking approval. So you should expect that you may spend longer than normal when trying to pick-up your rental car (especially if its a small place not in a major location which does not usually get foreign customers), but in the end, you'll probably be approved with an apology for making you wait.