Learning to drive is a rite of passage that more Japanese men appear to be avoiding: The number of male drivers has been falling every year since 2009. The number of women drivers, by contrast, has been rising. Reasons for the drop include the decline of the car as a male status symbol. Back in the day, young bucks would dream of picking up girls with their snazzy new sportster; now they're more inclined to see owning a car as a hassle that begins with the lengthy, expensive process of getting a license.