Why buy a Japanese Import?

In recent years, there has been a huge increase in the number of people buying imported Japanese cars.  There are good reasons behind this growing interest.  In many cases Japanese Imports are:

It makes sense that vehicles made for the Japanese domestic market will be of the highest specification, maintained to the highest standards and be available in greater number and variety.  Therefore, importing used cars from Japan is a viable and sensible thing to do.

Why are cars from Japan such good value?

Japanese cars are cheaper to buy new in Japan, than in the UK.

When a vehicle is first registered in Japan, it comes with a 3 year Shaken. This is the equivalent to the British MOT. When it expires, the vehicle must be re-tested. This is the most stringent test of this type in the world. The cost for this retest is around £1250.
Further re-tests are required every two years and usually cost more. Sometimes as much as £2000.
There are Japanese dealer incentives offering excellent deals to encourage consumers to always trade up for a new car.

As a result, Japanese consumers buy new cars on a regular basis. (8 million new units per annum in Japan. 2 million in the UK). Used car values depreciate rapidly in Japan. Also, due to the high expense of driving long distances in Japan, cars only tend to cover very low mileages per annum.
All of the above points amalgamate to make quality Japanese cars very attractive for export

For all cars we import, as part of the OTR cost - We fit a UK Specification fog-light with quality switch and loom. In addition we also fit a quality radio waveband expander, MPH speedometer and Euro Spec Fuel filler-neck restrictor. Where the car is a high performance model, it is also de-restricted.
We deal with all SVA requirements & testing for cars we supply, and have a 100% success rate.

In Japan, no salt is used on the majority of roads during winter.
When you are offered a car described as "UK car", lookout for higher mileage, rust beginning to appear, and low specification.
 

Car Registration (Shaken)

Shaken is infamous for being expensive, but it cannot be escaped. People often state how this is a super strict test of the car, and also a super tax. The price is based primarily on the size of the car with cars being very cheap and larger cars being more expensive. Shaken is due when a car is 3 years old and every 2 years thereafter.

Car Tax (annual)

Annually a bill will land on a Japanese residents door step, this is based on their location and primarily on the engine size the car. Small cars are cheap and as the engine displacement increases so you will move up into the next band. There is no way to escape this and they will not be able to sell or de-register your car unless this is paid.

Speeding / Drinking fines and penalties

Again, we find that the Japanese are very strict. There is a zero tolerance to drinking and driving which contrasts quite starkly to some of our home countries. Fines differ hugely depending on how far we are over certain limits. While the police find it hard to punish drivers on international licenses, fines may come as quite a shock. Especially in 40km/h  (25mph) areas where you are doing more than 60 km/h (40mph) fines of over 100 000yen (£555) are not uncommon at all.

Registering a Car in Japan

To register a car in Japan you must first apply for parking approval. The first step here is to go to your local police station and ask for the necessary forms (Hokan Basho Shomei Mosei Sho – a 4 part application) also you must ask your landlord or estate agency for a Hokan Basho Shomei and a Shozaizu Haichizu, the landlord should draw a map of the parking space and also write his address and stamp his Hanko on this form. The form you have obtained from the police should be filled out as well as you can and returned together will the other forms and a copy of your inkan shomei (certificate of your registered Hanko available from your local town office) to the Police. The application will take around a week after which you can collect your documents.

You will need the following documentation:

- Hokan Basho Shomei Mosei Sho – from the police
- Hokan Basho Shomei – from your landlord
- Shozaizu Haichizu – from your landlord
- Inkan Shomei – from your town office
Once you have completed this you must take these documents together with the documents you should receive from the seller to the local vehicle registration office. Here you will move from building to building paying bits of money as you move around and the end result will be the car being registered in your name. This may involve the plates being changed if the car has been bought from another registration district.

The documents required from the seller of the said vehicle are as follows:

- Shaken sho – the cars current registration document
- Inkan Shomei – Sellers certificate of registered name seal
- Ininjyo – Power of attorney form
- Jotosho – Change of ownership paper
- Jibaiseki Hoken – certificate of payment of compulsory insurance
- Receipt of payment of annual car tax.
 
Seriously complicated......................
 
 
Japan has the most stringent vehicle regulations and emission rules, quite possibly on the planet. Every vehicle must undergo a compulsory vehicle inspection every two years, at high cost (astronomical in fact) and must meet very high standards. Consequently people look after their vehicles very well in anticipation of this test. Avoiding a gross generalisation, the Japanese are very fond of their vehicles and invariably keep them in good condition.
 
The traffic in Japan can be terribly slow, there are no roundabouts and a great amount of traffic lights making driving very slow. The speed limit on normal roads is 24Mph and the tolls on motorways are phenomenally expensive. It is also not a gross generalisation that many Japanese do not venture outside of their own prefecture too often. All these factors contribute to the low mileage on most import cars.
 
Quality car ownership in Japan in a tangible symbol of wealth and "face". They place great emphasis on the specification of the cars they own. In addition, all cars are by law fitted with a speed restrictor - regardless of performance - to limit their maximum speed to 180 kmph (approximately 108 mph). This legally enforced restriction does ensure full peace of mind that the vehicle has not been abused at high speed. The restrictor can be easily removed when imported into the UK, therefore reverting the vehicle to its original factory designed performance.

 

Insurance We recommend: 
 
Academy   0800 7314984
Adrian Flux   8700 777240
AON   01384 552 67
A-Plan   0845 071 1234
Bell Direct   0800 140 180
Bennetts   0990 202090
Catterall   01254 695 055
Cool Quotes   01923 690800
CoverSure (RallySure)   01829 733 880
Crownthorne Insurance   01344 771626
Direct Line   0845 246201
Diamond www.diamond.uk.com/
Elephant.co.uk   www.elephant.co.uk (internet only)
Elestree Insurance Services   0181 386 7766
Endsleigh Insurance   0121 651 6250
Fred Roberts & Partners James   0191 5650222
Gladiator   0800 90 80 80
Greenlight   01277 263 030
Hill House Hamond   01733 310899
Hyperformance   0181 939 3944
JDI Insurance   0118 950 2155
Jeremy Randall   01782 286 311
John Denton   0118 950 2155
Keith Michaels   0181 642 7868
Martin Gray Insurance   01481 728072
Nash Warren Darren   0121 561 4484
Norwich Union   0870 242 0800
OAMPS Insurance   01372 467 266
OPI   0121 3250633
Privilege Insurance   0113 292 5555
Road Runner Insurance www.roadrunnerinsurance.co.uk/
Tangent   01923 254 888
Tesco   0845 300 9900
Torview Insurance   0181 6998888
Wilsons   0990 143 424