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Used Car Export

Japan's used cars are gold. Learn how to export them.

Export Process

Buy Low, Sell High

License & Access

  • Get Kobutsu (2nd Hand Dealer) License.
  • Join USS/TAA Auctions.

Bidding & Won

  • Check Inspection Sheet.
  • Bid smart. Pay within 3 days.

Shipping

  • Transport to Yard.
  • Deregister (Massho).
  • Book Ship.
Focus on Toyota & Honda for reliability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Exporting a car from Japan involves several sequential steps: purchase the vehicle at an auction house (such as USS or JAA) or through a dealer, obtain Japanese deregistration documents (massho tetsuzuki) at the transport bureau, contract with a shipping company to book space on a roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessel or container shipment, submit the export declaration at customs (zeikin), and arrange import clearance at your destination country. Each country has its own left-hand drive conversion requirements and age restriction rules for imported Japanese cars.
Car shipping costs from Japan vary significantly by destination and shipping method: RoRo (roll-on/roll-off) vessel shipping to major Asian ports such as Singapore or Manila costs approximately ¥80,000 to ¥200,000, while shipping to African ports like Mombasa or Dar es Salaam runs ¥150,000 to ¥400,000. Container shipping for a single vehicle costs more — ¥200,000 to ¥600,000 depending on destination — but provides better protection for high-value vehicles. These car export costs exclude destination country import duties and taxes.
Japan is the world's largest exporter of used vehicles, with major car export markets including New Zealand (right-hand drive, strong demand for Japanese models), Australia, the United Kingdom, Kenya and Tanzania (East Africa), Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Russia, and Chile. Each destination country enforces different regulations on the maximum vehicle age, emissions standards, and left-hand versus right-hand drive requirements that directly affect which Japan car export models are eligible for legal import.
Required documentation for a Japanese car export includes: the export deregistration certificate (yushutsu massho todoke) from the transport bureau, the original vehicle registration certificate and inspection certificate, a bill of sale or auction purchase receipt, the shipping company booking confirmation, the Japan customs export declaration form (yushutsu shinkokusho), and in some cases a certificate of deregistration. Prepare multiple certified copies of these car export documents as destination country customs officials may retain originals.
Japan requires no specific export license for individual used vehicle exports, meaning a resident with a valid residence card can export cars as an individual. However, for regular commercial-scale car export activity, setting up a Japanese business entity (GK or KK) is strongly recommended for practical reasons: it provides access to major vehicle auction houses that restrict individual membership, simplifies consumption tax refund claims on purchases, and provides a more credible structure for dealing with international shipping agents and buyers.

Related Tools

Car Registration

Registration guide

Shaken Guide

Inspection guide

GK Company

Start export business

Truck License

Upgrade license