Cost for bringing car to Japan

Hi, as the titles says, I want to bring my car to Japan. I've had lots of people tell me to just leave it here, in the USA, and buy a car in Japan, but I can't see myself doing that. I see numbers everywhere that are completely different for importing your vehicle.

Let me start of by saying that I will be really close to Tokyo Port. Currently, I live about 45 minutes south of Washington D.C. My car is a 1995 Ford Mustang. I'm not sure if it matters but it has a 427 cubic inch engine (7.0L) and it's about as loud as most other American muscle cars, drinks a little more gas than a normal Mustang. Are there any noise/gas guzzler taxes on cars in Japan?

Any closer estimates for how much it would be to import my car?

I'm not able to give you an answer, but have you thought about how much yen it'll take for you to fill that gas-guzzler you have, considering it's about $6-$7 a gallon or maybe more?

That won't be a problem.

Are you aware that because Japanese drive on the lefthand side of the road the controls and steering wheel are on the right hand side of the car.... exact opposite to USA? I am aware there are lefthand drive vehicles in Japan, especially classic cars, the whole road system is set up for the opposite, with toll collection booths and merging all made easier for driving on the lefthand side. Don't know what the regs are for importing a car that is contrary to standard Japanese specs.

Are there any noise/gas guzzler taxes on cars in Japan?

Not specifically, but there is biannual shaken tax and yearly car taxes. Both depend on the size of your vehicle and are relatively high for imports. Expect something around 150000 yen for shaken and 35000 for car tax, maybe more depending.

Any closer estimates for how much it would be to import my car?

Depends on where you are shipping from. Base shipping costs start at a few thousand USD and can take several weeks to arrive.

Don't know what the regs are for importing a car that is contrary to standard Japanese specs.

Lefthand drive cars, are not too much of a problem except maybe an inconvenience at automated parking lots. Otherwise most expressway booths can accommodate lefthand drive cars, or get an ETC card reader.

are you sure that your car pass the Japan anti- air pollution regulation ?
if your car is noisy, your car may not pass another regulation.
http://www.jasma.org/about_muffler/noise_value_restriction.html

how to get Japan driving license ?
it is not easy for US people.

Other things to consider:
- Driving license valid for Japan
- Parking space
- Whether you "need" a car to live in Tokyo

One import agency lists "miscellaneous charges" as follows (meaning shipping from the US to Japan port is not included):
1) customs clearance fee: 50,000 yen
2) consumption tax (on CIF price) 5% [but now it's 8%]
3) land tranport from Yokohama port to their shop): 15,000 yen
4) gas report/improvements/inspection fee: 200,000 - 300,000 yen
or
4) gas test/improvements/inspection fee: 300,000 - 450,000 yen
5) car acquisition tax: 5% of used car price
6) registration expenses (car tax, weight tax, etc.): depends on the car

The original Japanese page:
http://www.cameljapan.com/jap-import.html

They lists another example with 1,250 UK sterling for freight from the UK to Japan.

Someone else summed it up (on a Japanese question forum as 10,000 dollars or so total.
Another person who imported a Mustang (don't know which type) mentioned a similar number.

@ken (guest)
It's not that noisy. About as noisy as any other muscle car. Definitely not as noisy as some of those people that drive Ferrari's and Lamborghini's around Tokyo.

@AK @yllwsmrf
So I could be looking at spending about $10,000-$20,000 depending on where I ship from? I think that's a safe range to say?

Just a small and important reminder coming from the US embassy in Tokyo

http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-drive.html

Americans cannot drive in Japan with only a U.S. drivers license. Persons found driving in Japan without a legal license are subject to fines, arrest and possible deportation.

"International Driving Permits" are not a medium-to-long term substitute for a Japanese driver's license. You cannot obtain an International Driving Permit at the Embassy; see below.

You cannot renew your U.S. license at the Embassy.
International Driving Permits (IDP)

"Residents" are expected to convert or obtain a Japanese drivers license. Persons using an international drivers license who are resident in Japan can be subject to fines or arrest. The exact boundary between "resident" and "not resident" is unclear. In practice it seems to involve more than simply visa status or length of stay in Japan and is determined by the police.

We have heard from several Americans who were told by the police that using an International Driver's License for more than a year, or using one after exiting and then returning to Japan, or using one when you are residing in Japan, or after you have obtained an Alien Registration Card, or after 90 days in Japan, or using a license obtained by mail while you are in Japan, is illegal. In two instances, following accidents, Americans were charged with driving without a license, a serious offense. Driving without a license may also void your insurance coverage.

PS: If you fail to pass the exam to get a Japanese driving license your car will stay in the parking...

In my oponion you are putting the cart before the horse, you think you will be able to drive in Japan just like you were moving from NY to LA...

So I could be looking at spending about $10,000-$20,000 depending on where I ship from? I think that's a safe range to say?

I'm not sure it's quite that high as some of the fees that were quoted don't apply if you already own the car. Actually, after looking into it a little further, I think it will probably be cheaper to sell your car and buy a similar one in Japan than ship it.

In my oponion you are putting the cart before the horse, you think you will be able to drive in Japan just like you were moving from NY to LA...

Americans can use and IDP for up to a year without conversion. So they should be fine changing over to a Japanese license as long as they start the conversion process about 6 months into their stay.

FYI, when moving from NY to LA you'd need to convert to a CA license within 10 days. But of course the process itself can be a lot easier.

I'm sorry, what? I'm not jumping the gun at all. I have never said anything about moving my car there prior to getting a Japanese driver license. If I don't get one, then I'll leave my car in the US. I asked for an estimate on how much it would cost to move a car such as mine to Japan, not to have people telling me I'm jumping the gun.

@yllwsmrf

I thought about that too, I really did. I'd rather first leaving the car here in the states before selling it, just because it holds so many memories for me. I've put a lot of sweat and tears into building that car haha. Of course, if I can't bring the car, I'll just buy one there.

Yea, it's hard to put a price on sentimental value. I know a lot of expats that have cars sitting in storage back at home. I was one of them for several years too until I finally sold mine.

On the other hand, think of all the different cars available to you in Japan. Why not play the field a little ;)

Oh I definitely will either way! I love cars of all shapes and sizes. I couldn't resist working with some of those ingenious Japanese tuners.

Americans can use and IDP for up to a year without conversion. So they should be fine changing over to a Japanese license as long as they start the conversion process about 6 months into their stay.

I was talking about staying more than a year. What would be the point to bring a car for 6 months or a year? I know about about IDP, if you have read the link to US embassy I gave, you would have learned that Americans CANNOT convert their driving license to a Japanese one. As a West-European citizen I CAN convert mine to a Japanese Driving License but American citizens cannot do that. They have to pass the driving test. Yes, just like Japanese people. Not a piece of cake and not cheap.

http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-drive.html

Why Do Americans Have to Take a Driving Test?

The Embassy spoke with the Superindendent of the License Division, Traffic Bureau, of the National Police Agency (NPA) to learn that prior to June 2002, Japanese law had allowed foreigners bearing international driver licenses to drive indefinitely in Japan.

As of June 2002, however, foreigners are only able to drive on an international driver license for up to 12 months, then have to have applied for and received a Japanese driver license. Long term foreign residents in Japan who attempt to avoid taking a driving test by continually renewing their international driver license abroad every 12 months will now be required to prove that they obtained the international permit at least three months before re-entering Japan. Tourists and others coming to Japan for short stays may drive with an international license obtained at any time before their arrival into the country.

The driver test consists of hearing, eyesight, written and practical/road test components. Citizens of 21 countries, not including the United States, are exempt from taking everything but the eye test. Some of these countries met the exemption requirement because the NPA examined their domestic traffic safety record and determined that it was at least as good as Japan's. Other nations exempt Japanese license holders from a driving test.

Genki,

I think you're missing the point. The IDP basically buys you time to get your license in order, so there should be no point where your car sits while you are unable to drive. I've gone through the process, so I'm intimately familiar with it. Yes, its not a straight conversion, but neither is it as expensive nor time consuming as the process that most Japanese go through. It isn't particularly difficult or expensive either. It just takes time.