730 (transport)

The 730 (Nana-San-Maru) was the day July 30, 1978, when Okinawa Prefecture of Japan switched back from driving on the right-hand side of the road to the left.

However, after the defeat of Japan during World War II, the prefecture went under control of the United States and on June 24, 1945, was made to drive on the right.

[2][3] It is one of very few places to have changed from right- to left- traffic in the late twentieth century.

[2] As there were not enough police officers in Okinawa Prefecture to control all the traffic for the day, reinforcements were assembled from other parts of Japan.

During the eight-hour transition, the covers were removed and transferred to the old right-hand side signs.

The Japanese government spent some $150 million to cover the prefecture's conversion costs, involving 4,200 kilometers (2,610 Miles) of highways.

[2] Local bus companies had to change passenger doors on the right-hand side of the vehicle to the left.