Buying a car in Japan on a tourist visa

Hello everybody,

I would like to buy a car in Japan and drive it back to Europe via Russia. I've been trying to research how one can buy a car on a tourist visa and I did not come across any answers.

In Germany and Switzerland we've got export number plates which allow you to drive the car for one month after having done the export registration. Does anybody know something about export number plates in Japan?

Or can I just simply buy a car and register it in Japan on my tourist visa?

Thank you in advance for your help!

Allan

Might be a bit difficult as can not buy a car unless you have proof of a parking space. Need to go to the police to get a certificate (after they check to make sure all information is true) that proves you have a place to put your vehicle. The car dealers take care of all the other registration and paperwork, but you really need to have a registered address.

I would get in touch with a professional car dealer, ideally a car exporter.
You would also need to check if with that number plate you are allowed to cross Russia and all the other Eastern European countries in your way to Germany/Switzerland or are you getting a new plate in each country?

I would imagine that also the insurance situation won't be easy.

Do you speak and read Japanese? Without reading, how are you going to sign a purchase contract and an insurance?

You do realize that Japanese cars have the steering wheel in the "wrong " side, if looking at it from a continental European perspective. Right?

Your plan definitely sounds interesting but also relatively hard to realize. Good luck!

And Enjoy your time in Japan!

You can not register in Japan, and no such plate.
(carnet/CDP is not for export one)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnet_de_Passages_en_Douane

You can export to Russia, please consult with a Russian importer.
Also, ferry ports that can be exported to Russia are limited.

If you think about the risk of accident or breakdown on the way,
it would be better for an importer in the UK to ask.

ロシアを横断するのは、現実的ではないね。
彼らは専門家のチームだから、成功させてしまったけど。
http://www2.mazda.co.jp/cars/axela/route3/
http://mazdausa.tumblr.com/post/103007152472/mazda-3-route-3-blog#wbOa...

Thanks to everybody for coming back to me.

I've contacted exporters but they are not familiar with that case as their clients usually have the cars shipped to their home countries (Russia, Europe, etc.).

I've been regularly driving in Japan (right-hand side) and also driving a couple of times in Russia with my Swiss-registered car (to Mongolia from Switzerland, Kazakhstan Switzerland, etc.). The driving in Russia is very straight forward and getting to Russia with your foreign registered car is easy - you just register the car on your name and passport and buy an insurance and there you go.

I want to avoid to have my car shipped to Russian and to register there as I would have to pay twice (in Russia and in Switzerland) the import tax. I will be more in detail looking at the different possibilitites!

Regards,

Allan