Japan CDP vs. Customs Form C5014
 

Hello
I entered Japan on my CDP by seacontainer at Osaka.
I already had it and I only knew it that way.
You need a translation from the JAF.
http://img4.fotos-hochladen.net/thum...pko4_thumb.jpg
Well travelling in Japan is so slow due to a max 50km/h and no passing rule almost all over Japan.
I also enjoyed Japan so I wanted to stay longer than planned.
So thats where the CDP became a bitch.
It was running out on May 10th so I tried several options.
1.You can extend it via the JAF. But this takes several week and needs a good reason.
http://img4.fotos-hochladen.net/thum...2mjg_thumb.jpghttp://img4.fotos-hochladen.net/thum...ml6j_thumb.jpghttp://img4.fotos-hochladen.net/thum...45aq_thumb.jpg
2.You can go over the time of the CDP and then the custom will not stamp out the CDP but will use instead this Form:
Customs Form C5014
http://img4.fotos-hochladen.net/thum...zcob_thumb.jpg
Afterwards the JAF will ask your CDP issuer for the Tax, 5% of the value.
In my case this would have been 169 usd but I didn't wanna take the risk messing with a CDP.
3.Best is to get the Bike from the beginning on using Customs Form C5014.
Because I already was on the CDP the custom was unable to chsnge to Customs Form C5014.
Finally I left Japan as originally planned, not being able to eat as much sushi as I wanted.
Sorry for the bad Fotos.
I take no responsability if any of this information is wrong , that is what Osaka customs explained me, verify it for yourself before shipping to Japan.:innocent:
sushi

Thanks for the info.
Note that you can usually only use Customs Form C5014 if you enter by ferry.
It might be possible by container, but I have never heard of it happening.
Best to have a carnet if shipping by container/air because Japanese Customs doesn't usually like to do anything unless there is an instruction in their manual. You could be refused temporary import, so the risk is high.
Customs in Wakkanai (northernmost port) mostly use C5014. They use it in Wakkanai (the port for the ferry from Sakhalin, Russia) because the closest JAF office (for carnet validation) is almost 200 km away.

Here is a clean copy of C5014 if you want to download it:
http://www.customs.go.jp/kaisei/yous...m_C/C5014a.pdf
Here is the customs notice on temporary import by ferry (Japanese language only, but good to show customs people who may have not seen it before.) :
http://www.customs.go.jp/kaisei/zeik...U-S46k0849.pdf

Hello Chris
I got the paper "Customs Form C5014" from a Swiss Biker on a 1200GS I met on a campground.
He entered at Narita (air) and used this form, but had to exlain them what he needed and they searched a while until they found it in the big book.
He took the bike several times to Japan, from Russia and Thailand, and never used the CDP.
One time he paid the 5% Tax of the value of the Bike.
Sadly I lost his contact card so can't ask for more details.
sushi

Thanks for the followup sushi.
This is the first time I have heard of using that form except with a ferry. I guess if you want to take the risk of being refused entry, you can try. If you have contacts or previous experience in Japan it would help. A carnet, however, is almost a guarantee of being allowed to enter and ride in Japan.
Strictly speaking, by paying the 5% tax (soon to go up to 10%), it becomes a "permanent" import. Then (by law at least) you must register the bike in Japan, which is very expensive and difficult. Temporary imports are except from needing to register.
In fact, Swiss registered vehicles can't (again, legally) be used in Japan because Switzerland and Japan are signatories to different treaties (1968 vs 1949).
Now I am just quoting the rule books I have seen. If you are lucky, customs and police may make an exception or mistake. But my experience with the typical Japanese bureaucrat is that they want to do everything by the manual. If the manual doesn't exist, they just say "tough luck to you."

Hello Chris
????
Was I illegal riding in Japan?
At Osaka Customs they proceded my CDP and I never got stoped by the police.
So then my insurance was probably a waste of money as they might not have paid in an accident.
Well now I'm in Russia and I'm missing Japan so much.
The difference couldn't be bigger.
From Paradise to ehm....Russia.
My advice to others:
Go Russia to Japan -> never Japan to Russia.
sushi

With luck, we should be shipping two bikes from China to Japan in about 4 weeks. With a lot of luck that is... as all freight options out of Tianjin seem to be falling over. I am not entirely happy with our tour company at present, but that could change depending on the outcome.

In any case, if we do get to Japan, I gather there should not be too much of an issue entering Japan with Australian registered bikes, both with CDP. At least that is the way I read the last few posts.

If anyone has heard differently, I would be very pleased to know.
Cheers,
Ro

Should be no problem at all if you have a CDP.
You do have to go to the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) first to have them 'authenticate' the carnet. So try to choose an entry port in a major city (Fukuoka, Osaka, Yokohama, Tokyo) where there is a JAF office.
A bit of a bother, but they do usually give you copies of the applicable laws in Japanese that you can show to customs/cops if you run into problems.
See my signature below for more info, and let us know your experience when you do get here!

Thanks for the information Chris, it is very helpful, as is your website.
We will try to enter via Kobe as I have friends there.
I will let you know how we go.

Wish us luck getting out of China!

Cheers,
Rowan

Made it from China to Japan
 

It has been quite a process but we managed to get from Melbourne, across Indonesia to mainland SE Asia and across, across China, get the bikes shipped to Japan and get on the road in Japan.

This last bit was not without its hassles though...

First, the ferry to Korea that we had planned on using had stopped running.
Secondly, our tour operator (or Chinese bureaucracy - not sure who was telling the full story) would not let us change our itinerary to use a vehicle ferry closer to Shanghai. (a good suggestion by Seoul Joe)
Thirdly, we were able to get the bikes into a container to Japan but it was slow and costly but, in the end, the only option.
Fourthly, customs in Japan were fantastic, but the receiving freight company caused delays and were inflexible, adding to our time and costs.
Now, we are in the throes of leaving Japan after a shorter than anticipated, but nonetheless wonderful, stay.

Overall, the trip was fantastic and definitely worth doing. :thumbup1:
The freight hassles, however, were a pain in the butt! :thumbdown:

Even the horizons unlimited stickers we put on the bikes lasted the distance.

Cheers,
Row1

facebook.com/latrobe.2wheels

Thanks for posting Row1.

I'm curious, did you have a Carnet?

Made it to Japan
 

I came into japan yesterday from Sakhalin. I did NOT have my carnett. There was an agent from a transport company waiting for me who had the C5014 form filled out for me, Insurance and registration for the bike. I'll do a full write up soon.

Good to hear you made it in Snoah. Of course, the ferry from Sakhalin has been 'no-carnet' for a few years. This is the 'safest' route if you don't have a Carnet.
Last week, a school bus (!) used for the Mongol Rally arrived at Sakaiminato from Vladivostok on DBS Cruise Ferry without a Carnet. They contacted me and I sent the information from post #2 above, which they used to negotiate with the ferry company who demanded a Carnet at the start. It helped that they had shipping arranged out of Japan already. If anyone wants to try that route, it MIGHT be possible without Carnet.
The other ferries (from Korea), as far as I know, will ask for a Carnet. If anyone really wants to attempt the routes from Korea, try to have them call Customs in Wakkanai for instructions if they say 'no'.

Hey Chris,
I am leaving on Friday for Korea and will be back in Japan for October (round trip),

So:
-Panstar ferry, which do Busan-Osaka, will ask you to fill & use the C5014.

But,then again, after a bit of discussion with them they accepted to let me deal with the custom by myself so the choice is mine: C5014 or my brand new Carnet and I got a reduction of 15000 yen on the price for not taking their agent.

Guess C5014 is still the best choice. I will tell you how it goes.
.

Yan, don't forget to have your Carnet 'authenticated' by JAF if you decide to use it. Probably best to do it before you go so you don't have to run around Osaka before getting your bike.

Waiting for a detailed report on Korean and Japanese Customs when you get back! :thumbup1:

See you at the WTN-J meeting in October? bier

Okay, I am in Korea now, and I can confirm that the Japanese custom in Osaka don't want to hear about the carnet (I suspect that since they don't speak English, they don't want to deal with it).
However, they will happily do a C5014 for your motorcycle. Also you don't need to go through a forwarder/agent to deal with them you can do it by yourself if you have the following documents:
-Driving Licence (perhaps also Japanese translation of your licence from the JAF who have an office 2km from the Panstar ferry)
-Matriculation certificate
-Japanese basic motorcycle insurance (go to a motorcycle shop to obtain it)
-Passport

And that is it basically, only boring part is that you need to walk the 1.5km from the ferry to the custom since you'r not allowed to ride the bike without the paper above.

I will see if I have the time to join the meeting in october chris see you there maybe ;) .