Although Japan was never part of the British Empire, its traffic also keeps to the left.

This practice goes back all the way to the Edo period (1603-1867) when Samurai
ruled the country (same sword and scabbard deal as before), but it wasn't until 1872
that this unwritten rule became official. That was the year when Japan's first railway
was introduced.
Three countries approached the Japanese government to help them build a railway
system. These three countries were America, France, and Britain. In the end, Britain
won out. In 1872 the first Japanese railway was up and running thanks to the British.
A massive network of railways spread out from there, all of which were left-side
running. And as we all know, Japan loves their trains. If American or French railways
had been built instead, Japan would probably be driving on the right side of the road
today.

Horse railways and electric tram cars followed the left-side driving precedent set by
the railways in Japan. Around 1900, automobiles started to show up. An order issued
in 1902 by the Tokyo police said for the first time that pedestrians had to keep to the
left side of roads. Finally in 1924, left-side driving was mandated as official law.
After the defeat of Japan during World War II, Okinawa was under control of the
United States and made to drive on the right. Okinawa changed back to driving on
the left when it was returned to Japan. The change took place on July 30, 1978. It is
one of the only places to have changed from right to left hand traffic in the late
twentieth century.

It's because swords were carried on the left, and bumping scabbards was a no-no. So
way back then, people passed on the left. Same with Europe, in jousting for example,
knights passed on the left side.
Some time in the industrial age, people started driving wagons, and drivers tended to sit
on the left horse, or where they had seats, in the middle of the wagon. That resulted in
passing on the right side. A bunch of countries decided to codify that, but the Brits
decided to stick to the left, and as Japan's rail system was developed importing british
advisors, the left hand drive remained.
What is interesting is that the automotive laws still try to keep cars right hand drive importing left hand drive cars is expensive, and the government actively discourages it.
That's why, for example, why the Porsche Macan, an otherwise expensive car, is
imported only in right hand drive format in Japan.
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Second, the Japanese do not follow 'American norms!' It would be hard to find a
developed nation less like the US, although they do play baseball..
As for why they drive on the left, it is apparently because people used to walk on the left
during pre~Meiji, (before c.1860) Edo times (long before cars). This was to allow
Samurai warriors space to walk past each other without their swords (which were worn
on their left) being knocked together. That would be seen as a gross insult, possibly with
fatal results!