Driving in Japan Thinking
about buying a car in Japan? Find out what you need to know before
you buy your car!
Registration
Insurance
Automobile Inspection (shaken)
Parking Space Certificate
Taxes
Where to buy a car or motorcycle
In Case of a traffic accident
Words to know
Links
Registration
You are required to register your car or motorcycle when you get
it. You must also apply for change of registration when there are
any changes such as address, ownership or getting rid of your vehicle.
You should ask the shop where you bought your car for where to register
your vehicle.
Insurance
If you own a motor vehicle, it is mandatory to have insurance
for your vehicle. There are two types of insurance that you should
have.
1) Compulsory Third Party Insurance (jibaiseki hoken) (自賠責 保険)
- This insurance,also called indemnity insurance, will only pay
to help the victim in the case of an accident.
2) Comprehensive Vehicle Insurance (jidosha hoken) （自動車 保険） -
This insurance is optional but recommended. It covers the costs
of injuries sustained by the third party if the cost of their
treatment is more than what is provided by the compulsory third
party insurance. It also covers the costs of other accidents that
are not covered by the compulsory third party insurance (e.g.
if you sustain injuries).
Each Insurance company has different policies, so it is recommended
to look for the policy that suits you best.
You may only drive a cars which are insured.
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Zenrosa
- Japanese website. Insurance Company
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Hoken-Selection
- Japanese website. Insurance Company |
Parking
Space Certificate
In order to own a car in Japan, you must show proof that you have
a parking space. This parking certificate is called shako shoumei
(車庫 証明） This is a way that the government can restrict the number
of cars on the roads of an already crowded Japan. Your parking space
may be at your home or at a garage or parking space within a certain
distance of where you live.
You must register the garage or parking space at the police station
where you you live. You will be given a "Automobile Storage
Sticker" and it is to be placed on the rear window of your
car. You are required to notify the police station when you change
parking spaces. You can apply yourself, or pay a fee to have your
car dealer register the changes on your behalf.
You may try going to a realtor to find parking spaces in your area.
Automobile
Inspection, shaken
What is shaken? (車検）
It's a mandatory vehicle inspection check that you must perform
on your car. If you do not perform an inspection
on your car, your car cannot be driven. New cars will not
need an inspection until the car is 3 years old. For older cars,
it needs to be done every 2 years.
When the shaken inspection is being performed, your car may be
subject to repairs to keep the car in good shape. The shaken test
checks exhaust emissions, speedometer calibration, tires, lights
and indicators, oil leaks, brakes etc.
It can get very expensive. Most likely it will cost more than 30,000
yen. While shaken is expensive, it does keep your car in good working
condition and you will less likely have breakdowns. As the car gets
older, the cost of shaken becomes more expensive.
In Japan, you don't see many old cars on the road. Most people
prefer to own new cars, but with the downturn in the economy, many
people are not buying new cars as often as they once did.
Taxes
There are three taxes
you should be aware of when you own an automobile in Japan. They
are:
1) Car Tax - The owner of a car is taxed every year on April
1. The tax amount is decided by the size of the engine displacement
and the purpose of the car's use.
2) Car Weight Tax - When your car goes through the mandatory automobile
inspection, tax is charged according to the weight of the car.
You have to pay the tax at the time of registration, and when
you have a compulsory automobile inspection.
3) Car Acquisition Tax - Regardless of whether the car is new
or second-hand, you will be charged this tax when you buy a car.
You have to pay the tax when you register the car.
Where
to buy a car or motorcycle
bestjapancar.com
In
Case of a traffic accident
No matter how small the accident is, you must give first aid to people
who are injured, take appropriate measures to prevent other traffic
accidents, and immediately report the accident to the police and follow
their instructions. Some people may try to take advantage of an accident.
If you try to reach a private settlement without reporting the accident,
you might invite more trouble, such as being exposed to an unreasonable
demand for settlement.
Call the police on 110, and call an ambulance on 119 if there are
injured people. Try to notify the insurance company you are enrolled
in as soon as possible. If you don't call the police, then you may
not be able to claim insurance from the insurance company, because
they usually require a traffic accident report (kotsu jiko shomeisho)
from the police.
Words
to know
自動車税納税証明書 (jidousha zei nouzei shoumeisho) - Automobile tax payment
certificate.
自賠責 保険 (jibaiseki hoken) - Automobile damage compensation responsibility
insurance certificate.
自動車検査証 (jidousha kensa shou) - Automobile inspection certificate.
車庫 証明 (shako shoumei) - Parking Space Certificate
自動車重量税 (jidousha juuryou zei) -Automobile weight tax. The heavier
the car, the higher the tax. Average is 25-35,000 yen, while yellow
plates get a cut rate at 8,800 yen
申請書 (shinmeisho) - A bureaucratic form you get at the office and
need for the shaken process.
陸運支局 (rikuun shikyoku) - Bureau of overland vehicles, where you
can take your car to do a shaken by yourself.
Links
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