What are the importation laws for bringing a vehicle into Japan? What
vehicles are permitted in the country? Can you drive it with your
international driver's license? I'm looking for information regarding
entering as a tourist.

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Request for Question Clarification by nenna-ga on 12 Apr 2004 08:31 PDT

Hello,

As for the part of your question that states
"What are the importation laws for bringing a vehicle into Japan? What
vehicles are permitted in the country?"

Maybe narrowing this question down might help us find the answer to
your question quicker. Is there a certin make and model of car or cars
that you are looking to bring in? It would be easier to find info
regarding specific make and models. Let us know.

Nenna-GA

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Clarification of Question by coderoyal-ga on 12 Apr 2004 13:38 PDT

Thanks to carlholloywood for the links! It looks like I need to know
the emission and safety regulations, if that information is available.
This isn't for a specific vehicle, but in general.

Thanks for the response nenna!

These links might help you:

http://www.a-cross.jp/import.html#UMV (scroll down to "Used Motor Vehicles")
http://www.kyutech.ac.jp/english/fps/driver.html

Hi Everyone,

I got more information and I'll post it below for those whom may come
across this question. This is an email from Tokyo Customs:

Dear Mr. Owen,

If you meet the following conditions, the most convenient way is using
"AIT/FIA Carnet de Passages en Douane" (This carnet is different from ATA
carnet).
1. You are going to bring the car with you, when you come to Japan.
2. Your car is now registered in USA, and exported from USA.
3. The car will be used by yourself during the stay in Japan.
4. You are going to re-export the car when you leave Japan, within one year
from the date of the import.

Carnet de Passages en Douane should be issued by the authority in the export
country. We heard that Canadian Automobile Association issues the carnet for
the car which is registered in USA. Please contact them and confirm the
details about this carnet.
Canadian Automobile Association (CAA)
1145 Hunt club Road, Suite 200
Ottawa K1V 0Y3, Ontario CANADA
Phone: 1-613-247-0117
Fax: 1-613-247-0118

If you obtain the Carnet de Passages en Douane, please contact to Japan
Automobile Federation (JAF) next and obtain the JAF certificate. We heard
that it takes time to issue the certificate, therefore please ask them the
necessary procedure to obtain the certificate in advance.
http://www.jaf.or.jp/e/index.htm

When the car arrives in Japan and you obtain the above documents, please
lodge the import declaration using the Carnet de Passages en Douane. Then
you can import the car without paying duty or taxes.

When you export the car when you leave Japan, please also lodge the export
declaration with the Carnet de Passages en Douane.

This exemption is based on the condition that you are going to export the
car within one year from the date of the import, when you leave Japan. If
the car is not exported by the expiry date of the carnet, the exempted
duty/tax would be collected.

Under the Carnet de Passages en Douane, Japan Customs would not collect any
duty or taxes. If you are going to do the clearance procedures out of our
business hours, we would charge the overtime fee per hour. (Our business
hours are from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.)

Customs does not charge cargo-handling costs and the fees relating with
documentation, however if you employs the service of customs broker it will
cost. When customs decides to inspect the cargo physically or by X-ray
machine, and if some transportation and repackaging expenses occur, these
expenses are born by the importer. If you would like to know those costs,
please confirm to the companies concerned (e.g. shipping company, warehouse,
customs broker).

Regarding the emission control, we do not have the detailed information.
Please directly ask to Land Transport Office in advance.
http://www.mlit.go.jp/english/inspect/etop.html


With regards,
Yamamoto
Customs Counselor Section
Tokyo Customs

Another note, you must have BOTH your local Driver's License, an
International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in Japan for one year.
Anytime longer will require a Japanese Driver's License.

I would like to help Alan Owen, I have worked as a translater.

Additional information:

As stated above, you need the get a carnet first from your country of
origin. The cost of the carnet for U.S. Citizens is as stated at the
time of this post:

In Canadian Funds: 

$300 cash deposit- to be used for such expenses as couriers. The
unused balance will be returned.

$400 for the carnet ($450 for non-AAA members).

In addition to the deposit and fee, CAA requires a financial guarantee.

The amount of the guarantee is calculated base on the rate of duty and
taxes that would be levied fro permanent importation of the vehicle.

Americans can get a letter of credit from a AAA rated bank (not to get
confused with AAA [american automobile association], they are
separate) in canadian currency. OR, you could provide a certified
check, money order, Visa, or Mastercard.

The minimum amount is $5,000 CAD.

You should contact the CAA for more information. Also, the rates may change.

After obtaining the carnet:

You need to get the JAF certificate, as customs stated above.

Conditions to recieve the JAF certificate:

1.	A carnet holder should come to the relevant JAF office in person
with his/her original carnet. In a particular case, JAF may accept an
application by an agent with a letter of proxy for the holder.

2.	A passenger vehicle is temporarily imported into Japan under cover
of CPD and used as personal transport of the importer. In this context
it is recommended that CPD should be made out in the name of
individual.

3.	A carnet holder must have his/her temporarily imported vehicle
covered by Japanese Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance before
starting to use the vehicle in Japan.

4.	When a temporarily imported vehicle is registered in a country that
is not a party to the 1949 Convention, it must be inspected and
registered in Japan on arrival, even if imported under a Carnet de
Passages en Douane.

5.	No extension of the validity of CPD is authorized by the Customs
authority, unless the holder of the CPD produces sufficient evidences
that the vehicle in question is unable to be re-exported from Japan.

Two important facts come from this:

You will need automobile insurance from Japan, it looks like Green
Cards aren't worth anything in Japan. (You may correct me if I'm
wrong) and you won't need to have your vehicle inspected and
registered if you are in the United States. You should be able to
drive right off once you show the Carnet and JAF Certificate.