- Check the first-registration record, not only the model year, against the applicable annual age boundary
- Right-hand drive and roadworthiness inspection requirements apply
- Confirm the currently appointed inspection route, arrival timing and customs assessment before reserving
Japan import planning desk
Your Japanese car import guide: route, cost and evidence.
Use this guide to screen vehicle eligibility, understand an export estimate, review condition evidence and prepare for destination clearance. Final rules and charges are confirmed for your vehicle and route.
Last updated: 13 September 2026
Start here
What does the export cost planner estimate?
The planner estimates the Japan-side export subtotal only: vehicle FOB, ocean freight, and optional inspection or marine insurance. It uses the same destination and freight source as our live stock pages. It is a planning estimate, not a customs assessment, and not a final quotation.
| Item | How it is treated |
|---|---|
| Vehicle price basis | FOB Japan |
| Ocean freight | Confirmed at booking |
| Inspection and marine insurance | Optional or route-specific |
| Destination duty and tax | Paid locally |
| Port, broker, registration, delivery | Paid locally unless quoted |
| Payment method | Manual bank transfer only |
Who is responsible for which part of the export?
WI Car Export and Washin Auto cover the agreed Japan-side scope; the buyer or broker covers everything at destination unless expressly included in the quote. Timing belongs to neither party alone: it depends on supplier release, inspection, document preparation, vessel space, transit and destination clearance for your specific route.
| Responsibility | Scope |
|---|---|
| WI Car Export / Washin Auto | Sourcing, agreed export preparation, booking and quoted documents |
| Buyer or broker | Destination customs, taxes, port release, registration, collection, inland delivery unless expressly included in the quote |
| Route-specific timing | Supplier release, inspection, documents, vessel space, transit, clearance |
Continue with the practical Japanese car import checklist, then browse the live fixed-price catalogue when you are ready.
Browse Fixed-Price Stock
ご購入の流れ
What are the five stages from stock to port handover?
Choose eligible stock, receive an itemised quote, accept written terms, pay through the verified workflow, then hand over at the port. Each stage separates the Japan-side work done by WI Car Export and Washin Auto from the buyer's or broker's destination responsibilities.
- Choose eligible stock and confirm the vehicle is still available
- Receive an itemised quote naming the trade term and exclusions
- Accept the written reservation, payment and cancellation terms
- Pay through the verified case-specific bank-transfer workflow
- Complete export preparation and hand over at the port
1Choose eligible stockBrowse fixed-price Japan stock and confirm the exact vehicle is still available.
WI Car Export / Washin Auto
- Provide current supplier photos and known vehicle details
- Confirm availability and the evidence available for that lot
Buyer / broker
- Check destination eligibility before committing
- Share the destination, budget and evidence you require
2Receive an itemised quoteReview the Japan export scope and costs that remain payable at destination.
WI Car Export / Washin Auto
- Identify the vehicle, trade term and included export services
- Show freight, inspection and insurance as included, estimated or excluded
Buyer / broker
- Check the destination port and buyer details
- Confirm local tax, clearance and registration with a broker
3Accept the written termsReservation, payment timing and cancellation conditions are vehicle-specific.
WI Car Export / Washin Auto
- Confirm supplier hold and quote expiry in writing
- Issue the applicable quotation or proforma invoice
Buyer / broker
- Read every line and ask questions before paying
- Provide only requested compliance documents through a confirmed channel
4Pay through the verified workflowBank transfers are matched manually to the accepted vehicle case.
WI Car Export / Washin Auto
- Provide case-specific payment instructions
- Confirm receipt before export preparation advances
Buyer / broker
- Verify beneficiary details against the invoice
- Upload proof through the case workflow and retain bank records
5Export and port handoverJapan-side preparation, booking and documents lead to destination clearance.
WI Car Export / Washin Auto
- Coordinate agreed inspection, export preparation and vessel booking
- Share confirmed milestones and carrier information when available
Buyer / broker
- Appoint or authorise the destination broker
- Pay local charges, clear, register and collect the vehicle unless otherwise quoted
Quote anatomy
What does each line on an export quotation mean?
Every line is either quoted, confirmed at booking, or payable locally. The vehicle and agreed Japan-side scope are quoted as FOB Japan; freight is confirmed at booking; destination duty, tax, port, broker, storage, registration and delivery are paid locally unless your accepted quote says otherwise.
| Quotation line | Status | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle FOB Japan | Quoted | Vehicle and agreed Japan-side export scope to loading |
| Ocean freight | Confirmed at booking | Vehicle dimensions, carrier, route and available sailing |
| Inspection and marine insurance | Optional / route-specific | Included only when selected or required |
| Destination duty and tax | Paid locally | Assessed by the destination authority |
| Port, broker, storage, registration, delivery | Paid locally | Buyer-side unless the accepted quote includes them |
What is the difference between FOB, C&F and CIF?
FOB covers the vehicle and agreed Japan-side scope to the loading point; C&F adds ocean freight; CIF adds the insurance stated in the quote. None of them automatically includes destination duty, tax or clearance, so read the accepted quote line by line.
| Term | Adds | Still separate |
|---|---|---|
| FOB Japan | Vehicle and agreed Japan-side scope to loading | Ocean freight and everything at destination |
| C&F / CFR | Ocean freight to the named destination port | Insurance and all destination charges |
| CIF | The marine insurance stated in the quote | Destination duty, tax and clearance |
Trade-term definitions: ICC Academy on Incoterms 2020 FOB and ICC Academy on CFR and CIF.
Vehicle condition
What condition evidence should you read before paying?
Read the supplier photos, chassis details and any condition sheet together, then ask what is missing. Fixed-price supplier stock does not always include the same source documents, so confirm what exists for the exact vehicle before you transfer funds.
- Match the stock reference and chassis information to the photographs
- Request interior, underbody or close-up images where detail matters
- Read the original comments, interior grade and damage map
- Ask the Japan desk about any field you cannot read
Do condition grades mean the same thing everywhere?
No. Definitions differ between issuing sources and suppliers. A headline grade is a screening signal, not a universal warranty. Repair-history meaning and severity must be checked against the original comments and damage diagrams; do not infer condition from a grade alone.
What does Scan & Translate add, and what does it not?
Scan & Translate produces an AI-assisted English description; it does not replace the original sheet. The source images and the original document remain authoritative. Use the translation to form questions for the Japan desk, then ask the team about any item that is still unclear.
Shipping & documents
What is included in port-to-port shipping and documents?
Port-to-port covers carriage from the Japanese loading port to the named destination port, plus the export documents listed in your quote. Carrier availability, cargo rules, release method and document set depend on the vehicle, route and destination, so confirm each item in writing.
Should you ship by RoRo or container?
RoRo commonly suits operable standard vehicles on served routes; a container may suit high-value, non-standard or multi-vehicle shipments. Both are priced by vehicle, load and route, both depend on carrier schedules, and cargo needs written carrier approval, and customs approval too for containers.
| Field | RoRo | Container |
|---|---|---|
| Typical fit | Operable standard vehicles on served routes | High-value, non-standard or multi-vehicle loads |
| Price basis | Quoted by vehicle and route | Quoted by load and route |
| Schedule | Carrier dependent | Carrier dependent |
| Cargo | Only with written carrier approval | Only with carrier and customs approval |
Which documents come with a Japan export shipment?
Expect the Japanese export record, commercial invoice and carrier release document, plus any inspection certificate and vehicle evidence your route requires. Your accepted scope should state which documents are original, copied or electronic, and when each one is released to you.
- Japanese export record, with translation where the route requires it
- Commercial invoice naming buyer, seller, vehicle, price and trade term
- Carrier release document: bill of lading or the arranged release method
- Inspection certificate where an appointed inspection is quoted
- Source condition information, where available for the lot
- Case document list stating format and release timing
How will you be updated during shipping?
Your case can show confirmed export milestones, and carrier or vessel tracking is shared when available. Destination clearance and collection remain buyer-side unless they are quoted. Ask which milestones your case will display and which carrier information the team can pass on for your route.
Buyer protection
How do you verify payment instructions before a bank transfer?
Match the beneficiary and account against your verified proforma invoice, then confirm any change by the phone number or email published on this website. Online card gateways are not enabled: the active workflow uses case-specific bank-transfer instructions and manual confirmation of receipt.
- Accept written terms covering price, expiry, schedule and cancellation
- Match the beneficiary and account to the verified proforma invoice
- Confirm the received amount after bank, intermediary and FX fees
- Upload proof through the case workflow and await confirmation
輸出先
Does a listed destination mean your vehicle is eligible?
No. Listing a route does not confirm that a particular vehicle can be imported. The links below are official starting points, not vehicle approvals. Check current age, steering, inspection and valuation requirements with the destination authority and a licensed broker before you reserve a car.
- Confirm current TBS import controls and the Japan pre-shipment conformity process
- The appointed provider and required certificate must be checked for the vehicle
- Age, steering and tax treatment need current authority or licensed-agent confirmation; do not apply this summary to Zanzibar
- Used vehicles require the applicable roadworthiness certificate under the current PVoC process
- Use a currently appointed provider rather than relying on an old company name
- Customs valuation, environmental levy and transit costs require current assessment
- ZRA determines value for duty purposes using CIF and applicable incidental costs
- Excise, registration and carbon-emissions charges may apply by vehicle
- Confirm inspection, steering and eligibility rules before reserving
- Confirm the applicable age boundary with the destination authority
- A customs declaration and vehicle-specific duty assessment are required
- Confirm the current exception and transit route before reserving
- Current official evidence was insufficient for a safe generic age or inspection summary
- Treat the route as enquiry-only until the vehicle is checked
- Confirm eligibility, customs assessment and inspection directly with the authority and broker
- Imported used vehicles require the applicable technical inspection and registration process
- Right-hand-drive vehicles cannot normally be registered except under the classic-plate route
- Requirements outside Dubai may differ by emirate
- Import declaration, tax/duty, NOVA, approval and DVLA registration steps may apply
- Vehicle approval depends on age, origin and vehicle type
- Use the official process and a customs agent to confirm the specific case
- Customs, VAT and Vehicle Registration Tax may apply
- Imported vehicles are presented for registration through the applicable NCTS process
- Confirm vehicle evidence and current registration deadlines before purchase
- Safety, emissions, border inspection and entry-certification requirements apply
- Vehicle eligibility depends on the specific model, manufacture date and evidence
- Consult an entry certifier before buying a particular vehicle
Different destination? Use the planner above or ask us for route planning information and an itemised quote. Confirm eligibility and taxes with the destination authority and a licensed broker.
Plan Another DestinationFAQ
Which questions should you settle before paying?
Settle scope, price basis, timing, condition evidence, cancellation terms, warranty wording, insurance, clearance responsibility and payment verification. Each answer below belongs to your vehicle-specific documents; ask the Japan team to explain anything that the quotation, proforma invoice or sales terms leave unclear.
What is included in a verified export quotation?
Your quotation identifies the vehicle, agreed trade term, Japan-side charges, current ocean freight, optional inspection or insurance, and the destination costs that remain payable locally. Customs duty, tax, broker, registration and port charges are shown as estimates or exclusions unless the quotation explicitly states otherwise.
What does the price on a stock page include?
Stock prices are shown as FOB Japan. Ocean freight, insurance, destination port charges, customs duty, tax, registration and local delivery are separate unless they appear in your confirmed quotation.
How long does shipping take?
Timing depends on vehicle readiness, document processing, inspection availability, vessel space, the sailing route and destination clearance. We provide a route-specific planning window with the confirmed quotation; it is not a guaranteed delivery date.
Can I inspect the condition before paying?
Ask for the available condition documents, chassis details, additional photos, underbody information and any inspection notes. Fixed-price supplier stock does not always include the same source documents, so confirm the evidence you need in writing before transferring funds.
Are the listed cars fixed-price?
Yes. All listed vehicles are fixed-price dealer stock. Available condition documents vary by vehicle: fixed-price supplier stock does not always include the same source documents, so confirm what exists for the exact car in writing before you transfer funds.
How are deposits, cancellations and refunds handled?
The reservation amount and cancellation terms depend on the vehicle and stage of the transaction. They are confirmed in writing on the applicable quotation, proforma invoice or sales terms before payment. Costs already incurred for sourcing, inspection, documentation or freight may affect cancellation options.
Are vehicles sold with a warranty?
Used-vehicle condition and any warranty or as-is terms are stated in the written quotation and sales documents for that vehicle. Do not assume coverage that is not written into those documents.
What happens if the vehicle is damaged in transit?
Ask for the available marine-insurance option before shipment. Coverage, exclusions, evidence requirements and claim deadlines depend on the issued policy and carrier. Inspect the vehicle promptly at collection and preserve photographs and delivery records.
Who handles customs clearance at destination?
The buyer or appointed customs broker normally completes destination clearance, pays local charges and arranges registration or onward delivery. We prepare the agreed Japan export documents and coordinate the shipping handover described in your quotation.
How can I verify payment instructions?
Transfer funds only after checking the beneficiary details on your verified proforma invoice. If any bank detail changes, pause and verify it using the phone number or email published on this website rather than relying only on a forwarded message.
お問い合わせ
Ready for a vehicle-specific plan?
Send the stock reference and destination, and we will confirm availability, export scope and current route pricing. We will also tell you what condition evidence exists for that vehicle and which destination items you still need to verify locally before you commit.