Importing a car to Japan seems relatively awkward: the length and cost of transport by boat is usually enough to make people change their mind. However, that is not to say buying a car is easier or cheaper. In order to drive comfortably in Japan, you will also want a steering wheel on the right-hand side of your car.
If you buy your car through a dealership, the dealer will gladly take care of all the complicated and extensive paperwork for you, asking only for your signature and your personal stamp (hanko).
In order to purchase a car in Japan, you must have a parking space that you register with the police (shakoshomeishou). Parking spaces can be very cheap in the countryside, but likewise can be extremely expensive in the heart of Tokyo. The newest apartments usually provide one, but otherwise they can be found through estate agents (in which case exorbitant fees are also required).
Japan levies three different taxes on cars: Acquisition Tax, Weight Tax and Annual Tax. The first two are levied as you purchase the car, based on the size of your engine. Although the smallest engines are taxed as low as 5,000 yen, the largest can be over ten times that amount. A consumption tax is also levied on gas, and most petrol stations do not display it until you’ve made your purchase.
Car insurance is mandatory in Japan (kyosei hoken), but only covers the car, not potential injuries or damages for which secondary insurance (jibaiseki hoken) is necessary. As usual, the price varies according to your age, how long you’ve been driving, whether you’ve had any accidents and depending on whether anyone else is going to drive the car.
Cars over three years old must go through an extensive inspection every two years (shaken), costing anywhere between 100,000 and 200,000 yen. Older cars that no longer have commercial value cannot be scrapped unless you pay someone to take it off your hands.