We shipped an SUV 2008 from Florida to Japan, i had to convert the vehicle to Japanese spec, the dealer wanted $2,100, but we did it ourselves. I took the vehicle to emissions, which takes two days, stayed on Yokota AB for $49 a night and it cost $2,100 for testing. The place was easy to find.  Prior to going to emissions, i had to go to the weight station several blocks over that cost 500 yen.  I paid someone to take my vehicle to LTO and it cost around $700, not including his fee which was only $50.  Total cost for my SUV was $5,000, not including insurance. If you are going to stay overseas, it's worth shipping a new vehicle, if you only plan to stay a short time, don't.  There are plenty of great vehicle for sale in Japan on all the military bases.  I put together a complete itemized cost of everything i paid during the process, if you want a copy let me know.

Will we be required to pay those crazy fees?

Posted By bigdog55 on 15 Sep 2009 03:19 PM
Attached is the process of shipping a vehicle to japan and getting it registered, i hope this helps.
HOW TO REGISTER A IMPORT CAR IN JAPAN


NOTE: If you bring a vehicle to Japan, expect to pay between $5,000 - $7,000 to get it plated, which includes insurance, and this process normally takes about 2 months to complete.


1. If you are an E-4 and below or civilian equivalent you must have an approved request form (CFAY-4651/2) from your CO and CFAY Security Officer. An approved command request chit from their respective CO’s. The request chit must state number of dependents.

2. Attend the orientation for 1 week and take the driving test on Friday to obtain a driver’s license from the license office. Make sure you study, it’s easy to fail.

3. Obtain Customs form (380EJ) from the FISC personnel property office (tel: 243-6322). This takes about two days to get.

*If the vehicle was manufactured after April 1976, you have to get an emission test in the Tokyo Emissions office, approximate cost is 200,000 yen ($2,000), it cost me 210,000 yen. Contact JATA (tel: 0425-44-1004) to have them fax you an application form. After step #5, take the car to the emission test facility. Prior to dropping the vehicle off at the Emission Test office, you must have the vehicle weighted at a weight station and make sure the vehicle has a full tank of gas, and remove the spare tire. There is a weight station a couple of street from the emission test office. To drive from Yokosuka to Yokota takes approximately 2.5 hrs, but it’s only 40 miles. The emission office does not speak clear English on the phone, but the customer service representative on location speaks enough to communicate. You will have to pay when you drop the vehicle off. The emission test take two day, so plan to stay at Yokota AB ($49 per night) or have means to come back to Yokosuka. Yokota AB has the best map for traveling, if you need a copy let me know.

4. Obtain Japanese Compulsory Insurance (JCI) from AIU on Yokosuka for more than 37 months and Liability insurance for a minimum of 1 year. With the registration process taking more than 2 months, you will probably have to add more insurance to your policy, CFAY requires 1 year when you go to LTO.

5. Take the customs form 380EJ, your ID card and the insurance to Yokosuka City Hall, on the first floor, window #15, and fill out the small form and pay 750 yen (about $7) to get temporary license plates, which is only good for 5 days, to include weekends and holidays, so don’t get the plates on a Friday or Japanese holiday. If you need a temporary gate pass, then take the paperwork from City Hall, the insurance and your ID card to VRO.

6. Take the National Agency of Vehicle Inspection (NAVI) application form that you will get from VRO, the original certificate of emissions testing (if applicable) and a copy of the customs form (380EJ) along with the other requirements (see attachment of “Requirements of application documents for imported vehicles”) to LTO in Yoho Hama (second floor of building #2) for pre-inspection. (You can hire someone to do this for you by looking in the classified ads for LTO run, it cost approximately $50 for this task and well worth it). The vehicle does not need to go to LTO at this time. (Note: Make sure you keep a clear copy of the certificate of emissions test, you’ll need it)

7. You must mail the following documents to the Recycle center and pay the recycling fee before proceeding; this fee cost me $320 depending on the yen rate. Application form (get from VRO), copy of the customs form (380EJ), copy of the NAVI application stamped by LTO and a copy of the emissions test. It takes about two weeks to get a response, have it mailed to your local address. Once you get the paperwork back from the Recycle center, you have to pay the cost at the local Post Office and wait another week for the receipt to come back before proceeding. (It’s best to take to license plates off the vehicle while waiting for step #7). The recycle fee depends on the type of vehicle, I paid about $220 for this process.

8. Obtain a parking certificate (see How to obtain a parking certificate) and see step #10.

9. Go to NEX maintenance garage and get a safety inspection. It’s best to have converted your vehicle to Japanese specification if you know what needs to be done. If not, find another vehicle like yours that is plated, or go to the dealer and look at one there. Normally, the requirements will be; amber turn signals, side marker turn signals (unless they are in the mirror) a back up light, a blind spot auxiliary mirror and if an SUV, make sure the tires do not extend beyond the fenders.

10. Go to the local Police station with the paperwork for the Parking Certificate and pay around 2,600 yen for this process, VRO forgets to tell you to do this until the last minute, but you can do this near the end, the parking certificate paperwork is only good for 30 days so you need to be getting ready to go to LTO when you do this. You will need to fill out an application at the police station and you should have the length, width and height of your vehicle in centimeters. Do this task prior to going to VRO for final paperwork, like the day before.

11. Once you have the NEX inspection (passed), the recycle receipt, the customs form (380EJ), insurance (and since it took so long, you may have to pay and add a couple of months on your insurance) and all other supporting documents above, take them to VRO to obtain registration paperwork for your final trip to LTO. You must bring this paperwork yourself, or your spouse must have Power of Attorney. NOTE: The LTO run with the vehicle can be done by the same person who did the LTO run paperwork. They will have to drive your vehicle. The LTO run had minor problems, they wanted a mirror mounted on the right front fender, we borrowed one from another LTO runner and got the vehicle through. It cost $456, again depending on the yen rate for this process.

12. You or the LTO runner will take the vehicle to Yokohama LTO and all paperwork for final inspection and issues of License plates.

13. Once they return with “E” plates on the vehicle, return to Yokosuka City Hall and return the temporary license plates (window #15)

14. Go back to VRO to obtain a permanent on base entry decal.

15. You’re Done, it should only take about 2 months to complete the above task, in the mean time have some other means of transportation. I recommend buying a cheap car off the lemon lot next to the commissary to get around in, or use as a second car for the family. You can only have one vehicle per license driver in the household, and a motorcycle counts as a vehicle.

16. None of this includes toll that you have to pay to travel on the Yoko Yoko toll road. Driving to emissions, near Yokota AB, it cost $13 one way.

I hope this help you make a decision. Good luck.

Posted By Adam Jones on 06 Nov 2010 01:36 AM
Its not an easy process, I will tell you that. I work with several people that have brought there cars over. There is no such thing as 24hrs, and its automatically going to be in Japan. Paperwork, and inspections that time.

Posted By ThaiGuy on 07 Nov 2010 12:53 PM
Roger all. My comment about paying for shipping is based on what Adam said in the 3rd post on this discussion:
"Costs are on you with the shipment of your POV. " I took that to mean you would have to pay. But you're right... no one on this discussion has actually done it.

Re your comment: "if you do the math it's going to be expensive to own a car either way you go." Not true! Buying a used car in Japan is way cheap! Basically, Japanese don't buy used cars so foreigners snatch them up cheap. If you do it right you will get back most of what you spend when you leave Japan. It's not too hard to drive around here for basically free (other than gas & insurance) if you find a good deal when you get here.

You could get a nice-looking car (not a classic like yours) for like $3000, which includes registration & 2-years JCI; it will be in good mechanical & cosmetic condition. No hassle, and you can sell it for $2000 when you leave. In the meantime, your ride back home gets paid off and not running up the mileage. Also, don't forget the high likelihood of damage shipping it twice across the ocean. This is not uncommon, from my understanding.

Posted By ThaiGuy on 08 Nov 2010 09:00 PM
It's rarely done, for the reasons discussed. But if you are aware of the time & cost involved & you're ok with it then I say go ahead. Hopefully you can find someone who's actually done it before. You will certainly be unique with your ride once you get it on the streets of Japan. Have a ball! Hopefully, any lessons learned you get from doing it you can post here for future generations.

Posted By NavyGuy on 01-04-2011 1:57 PM
Are these emission standards the same for motorcycles? I plan on shipping my motorcycle to Iwakuni but if I have to pay all the fees, I might decide against.

Posted By NavyGuy on 01-05-2011 12:52 PM
Thanks Blackbob...I don't want to leave my motorcycle but I don't want to pay a lot of money either.  I will probably take it anyway.  Thanks homie

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