Mirco Demuro of Italy and Christophe Lemaire of France became the first foreigners to qualify for a full-time riding license by passing the Japan Racing Association's current exam on Thursday.

Since 1994, the JRA has been issuing short-term licenses to overseas jockeys for up to three months in one calendar year. Foreigners had been allowed to take the test for a full-time license from 2013.

Demuro, 36, and the 35-year-old Lemaire have been two of the most popular and successful foreign jockeys in the JRA.

Demuro, who flunked the exam two years ago, became the first rider from abroad to win the Japanese Derby in 2003, on Neo Universe, and has 354 victories in Japan.

Lemaire, with 245 wins here, captured the 2005 Arima Kinen aboard Heart's Cry by beating then-unbeaten triple crown champion Deep Impact, the JRA's second-leading sirer.