Those of you who have been paying attention may have noticed that the photo on the sample driver’s license of “Nippon Hanako” has changed. The older version featured a woman who was quite “bubbly” in appearance—looking like she had just finished work as an OL and was going to change into a revealing “body-con” outfit and feather boa and go dancing in Roppongi.

Although most of the information is the same, the birthdates are different. The elder Hanako was born in 1965; the younger in 1986, making her considerably younger: 35. And, where, the older Hanako was permitted to drive all sorts of vehicles, what is known as “furubitto”; the younger one’s license is somewhat limited.

Ms. Nippon is a model, of course, and a rather nice-looking one at that. The photo on the sample license doesn’t do her justice.

I happened to watch an interview of the model on TV a few weeks ago during which she said something that struck me as both amazing but also very Japanese. Although she has a driver’s license, she admitted that she doesn’t dare drive herself because she is afraid of having an accident and having her name and pseudonym plastered all over the news. “It just wouldn’t be right if Nippon Hanako caused an accident, would it?”

So, how does Hanako get around herself? By bicycle.