NEWS

Hello everyone!

We are now in the autumn season in Japan.

Autumn can be called the driving season.

So, starting today, we would like to introduce the procedures for purchasing a car for the first time in Japan.

This will be a real estate related story, such as regarding parking contracts, so this will be necessary information for those who need a car along with their new home.

To be honest, it may be quite difficult for you foreigners. From start (deciding to buy a car) to finish (receiving the keys), the entire process is said to take more than a month. You might think it took a month because it took so long to find a good car, but that part of the process is just a few days. Still, for many people, the longest part of the process is grieving over whether a car is worth buying, and then finding the car they want to buy.

In this article, I would like to discuss some considerations to take into account before buying a car.

How to Buy a Car in Japan and Notable Features

In this section,

The expensive car inspection requirements in Japan.

In Japan, the government requires automobile inspections every two to three years, called “shakenen,” which is a mandatory requirement.

To begin with, we hear that Japanese people do not buy many used cars. The reason for this is that the cost of vehicle inspections is too high, and it is said that it is better to buy a new car. Surprisingly, however, Japanese used cars are cheap. When you find a great car for only 200,000 yen (US$1,809), you can't pass it up! Filled with excitement, we thought to ourselves, “No, the car inspection can't be that bad. It only costs about 70,000 yen every few years, so it's no big deal,” you think. 

But there was a pitfall. 

Everyone should thoroughly consider all possibilities before making a decision. Most of the time, I just jump in and see what happens, good or bad, and learn from the experience. Car inspections are no exception. Car inspections are not easy tests.

Have you ever seen a “one-day inspection” in town?

It is very convenient, but can be expensive. Some repair stores may take up to five days to complete the inspection, so check in advance.

Faster inspections are a premium service and usually only available on a one-day basis when the car is already in tip-top shape.

What is the total cost...?
A car inspection is, of course, an inspection of the car. It is an inspection that must be passed. However, if any part of the car fails the inspection, it means that you will have to pay for repairs until the car passes the inspection. You may think that all necessary repairs are included in the inspection fee, but for older cars, the cost of repairs can add up quickly. In fact, in some cases, the total bill may be higher than the car itself.

In the U.S., for example, you see cars that seem to break down every hour or are already broken down every day. In Japan, such sights are rare because cars literally cannot even be driven on the road unless they are repaired until they are legally safe to drive. While it is true that there is a shady financial relationship between the major car companies and the Japanese government at the root of this, that does not mean there are no benefits, right?

How was it?

We will continue next week.

Please look forward to it!

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