Buying a Car

更新日:2020年09月07日

If you’re planning on staying in Japan for a while, it may be a good investment to purchase a car if you are living in a smaller town like Minamisoma. Be warned that this can be an expensive process.

(Note: Cost and process will vary greatly by company and type of car. Ask your car dealer for details.)

The Cost

You can find wildly different prices depending on the company, the car type, the year it was made, and its driving history. You can search online or go directly to a car dealer to find a car within your budget.

There are two types of license plates in Japan. White plate cars are able to go longer distances at higher speeds, but tend to be a little more expensive.

Yellow plate cars are cheaper and great for getting around town, but have a lower speed capacity and generally less trunk space.

Besides the price of the actual car, you will need to pay the name change fee, the environmental performance rate, the automobile tonnage tax based on the weight of your car, and consumption tax.

However, paying for a car does not stop after the initial purchase. Every two years, you will need to take your car in for an inspection known as 車検 (shaken). This can cost  100,000yen or more each time. In addition, every year there is automobile tax (自動車税, jidousha zei), mandatory liability insurance (20,000 yen~ 30,000 yen), and optional insurance.

On top of all that, you will also need to budget for gasoline (~120 yen per liter), your parking space, and other maintenance fees such as tires and repairs.

The Required Documents

(Note: Requirements may vary between dealers. Check with specific dealer for details.)

Here’s a list of what you will need to bring if you are buying from a dealer:

  • Valid international driver’s permit and foreign driver’s license, or Japanese driver’s license
  • Copy of your residence card
  • Certificate of residence(住民票, juuminhyou), issued by city hall/ward office within the last 3 months
  • Registered seal (はんこ/印鑑, hanko/inkan), plus seal registration certificate (印鑑登録証明書, inkan touroku shoumeisho) from city hall/ward office
  • Parking certificate from the owner of the property or car park where you will be parking
  • Loan from a bank or credit agency if necessary
  • Cash up front

The Process

  1. Do some research online.
    Make a list of what you want, such as the number of seats, automatic vs. manual, trunkspace, etc.
  2. Set a budget for yourself
  3. Narrow your selection down and head to the dealership.
    If possible, take someone with you who is fluent in Japanese.
  4. Pick a car and negotiate your price.
  5. Fill out the paperwork.
    The dealer should help you get your car registered, whether it’s new or used.
  6. Get your parking certificate.
    See the parking certificate section for details.
  7. Pay taxes.

Parking Certificate (車庫証明書, shako shoumeisho)

You’ve decided on a car, been to the dealer, and filled out all the paperwork. Now it’s time to get a parking spot so you can actually take your car home.

(Note: This process can differ between areas. Check with your local police station for details.)

The first step is to secure a parking spot. Most houses and apartments in Minamisoma have a designated parking lot. If one is not available, there are parking lots in which you can get a designated spot.

Next, go to the local police station and get an application form (自動車保管場所証明申請書, jidousha hokan basho shoumei shinseisho).

In order to complete the application form, you will need to have the following paperwork:

  1. The application form itself
  2. A map of the parking area as well as a map with where your parking spot is specifically
  3. (Those parking on property they own) Proof of Right of Vehicle Storage (保管場所使用権原疎明書面, hokan basho shiyou kengen someishomen)
  4. (Those parking on property they are renting) Consent of Use of Vehicle Storage (保管場所使用承承諾証明書, hokan basho shiyou shoudaku shoumeisho)
    (Ask your landlord for details. A copy of a rental contract may be used instead in some cases.)
  5. Something to confirm the driver’s address (e.g. driver’s license, residence card)

After you’ve gotten all the necessary paperwork together, go to turn it in at your local police station. It would be best to bring your registered seal with you. There will be a handling cost of around 2000 yen. You will get a receipt after turning in the paperwork. Save this receipt!

After 3~7 days, bring the receipt back to the police station. There may be an additional handling fee to receive the parking badge.

You will receive:

  • Your parking certificate (動車保管場所証明書 / 車庫証明書, jidousha hokan basho shoumei shinseisho / shako shoumeisho)
    You will need this to register your car. Your car dealer should help you submit it.
  • Parking badge (保管場所標章, Hokan basho hyoushou)
    Usually attached to the rear window of your car.
  • Parking badge number notification (保管場所標章番号通知書, Hokan basho hyoushou bangou tsuuchisho)
    Store with the car inspection certificate and other important car-related papers.
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