[HAWAIIZR-1]

Originally Posted by zig

First, thanks you both for answering. What an ordeal. You are correct. Navy Gov Civilian if I go and would either get housing on base or rent one out in town. Either way, I would have a parking spot for it. I am familiar with the Japanese "system." Met my wife over there and it was just a bunch of red tape to get all her paperwork and visa squared away. I had heard $3000 to get a US car through the process. Not sure I want to puke the $5000 you mention though. We also had a car over there. Even an older Japanese car is a pain in the butt to get inspected and JCI every year. The side marker lights are a deal breaker though. No way I can mount them to the car. And if I take it, no way I could not drive it regularly. I already travel and the second thing I do after kissing the wife is take the Z out.

Thanks again for the information. Good luck on whatever you are studying for.

You're welcome. As I mentioned, when I researched this and went through the process I found there were so many different ways that people got through and no to follow. I understand about the VISA and went through that myself from Hawaii before going to Japan and what a pain. As I mentioned, one of the US guys took his US Honda Accord through and said he taped some cheap side markers on the fenders and got pass then took them off. I can't even believe they allow that and what is the purpose if they know you will remove them after the inspection. Not sure about the amber turn signals, but I was good to go with my euro lamps.

I was trying to send you this information in a word document, but this site does not allow it over a certain size or type. This came from a Navy guy at Yokosuka and posted on www.japanbases.com:

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.