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Register residence in Japan for vehicle registration !? Register residence in Japan for vehicle registration !?
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  • 3 Post By Chris of Japan
  • 1 Post By Kurvenfieber
  • 2 Post By Chris of Japan

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  #1  
Old 20 May 2016
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Register residence in Japan for vehicle registration !?
Hello Japan experts. Soon I start a big trip from Switzerland to Japan on my Motorbike. I planned on ending my trip in Japan, incl. driving my motorcycle there before shipping it back to Europe. I have a carnet de passages and I am aware that I need to authenticate the CDP at a JAF office as well as getting my drivers license translated there on arrival.
Now the JAF staff wrote me that I will have to register my temporary residents in Japan in order to get my vehicle inspected...
How much effort and more important how much time (days) would that consume at a minimum?

This is the procedure the staff from JAF sent me:

To drive motorcycle or vehicle in Japan (which is registered in Switzerland)
(1) You have to register your residence in Japan temporary,
① You go up to the immigration Office to immigrate. In detail, you should ask your country Consulate Office in Japan.
② After the above procedure, you have to register in some city hall (ward hall: just in Tokyo) as a citizen of that city (ward).
(2) You have to go up to the Land Transport Branch Office to get inspection of your motorcycle (vehicle). Afterward, you will be get registration on your motorcycle (vehicle) after approved.
(3) Finally, you would get the Japanese plate number.
(4) Your motorcycle (vehicle) should be covered liability insurance and optional motorcycle (vehicle) insurance at motorcycle (vehicle) dealer’s shop.
(5) When you would depart from Japan, you would have to remove your Japanese plate number in the bonded area where you would export your motorcycle (vehicle). As same time, you should go up to city hall (ward hall) and the immigration office to leave Japan.

Point 1 (with the circled 1 and 2 ) is the biggest question mark for me.
I hope someone here can tell me if that is possible to accomplish in a few days.
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  #2  
Old 20 May 2016
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Well, you cannot do step 1 without having a long-term visa (I think 6 months or longer). It used to be possible as a tourist in the past, but they changed the law a few years ago.

It is practically impossible to register you as a tourist and your vehicle as a temporary import. Even if you could resister the vehicle, it is very very very expensive.

From my experience helping other riders, I can say you have 2 choices.
1) Put your motorcycle on a truck and do not ride it in Japan.
2) Just ride it because alms nobody nows the difference between the 1949 and 1968 treaties. (You do this at your own risk, but in more than 15 years of helping travelers, I have never heard of anyone getting in trouble).

Whichever one you choose, tell JAF that you will not ride that bike in Japan without registering. Ask them to just authenticate the carnet so you can temporarily import (not drive) the bike.
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  #3  
Old 20 May 2016
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Thanks again, Chris, for this useful comment!!
That´s the way to do ist.
Rule #1 in Japan: don´t ask!
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  #4  
Old 20 May 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurvenfieber View Post
Rule #1 in Japan: don´t ask!
Rule #1 EVERYWHERE!!
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  #5  
Old 22 May 2016
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LOL that´s right
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  #6  
Old 18 Nov 2017
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Getting out of Port and Customs area
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris of Japan View Post
Well, you cannot do step 1 without having a long-term visa (I think 6 months or longer). It used to be possible as a tourist in the past, but they changed the law a few years ago.

It is practically impossible to register you as a tourist and your vehicle as a temporary import. Even if you could resister the vehicle, it is very very very expensive.

From my experience helping other riders, I can say you have 2 choices.
1) Put your motorcycle on a truck and do not ride it in Japan.
2) Just ride it because alms nobody nows the difference between the 1949 and 1968 treaties. (You do this at your own risk, but in more than 15 years of helping travelers, I have never heard of anyone getting in trouble).

Whichever one you choose, tell JAF that you will not ride that bike in Japan without registering. Ask them to just authenticate the carnet so you can temporarily import (not drive) the bike.
How do you get a truck out of the port area without registration and inspection? Nobody cares officially?
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  #7  
Old 18 Nov 2017
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And in the event of a serious at-fault accident???
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  #8  
Old 19 Nov 2017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolf D View Post
How do you get a truck out of the port area without registration and inspection? Nobody cares officially?
I meant to rent, borrow or steal (maybe the last on isn't a good idea) a Japan-registered truck. You would just be taking the truck to customs to pick up your cargo. Even if you were able to have the motorbike registered and inspected, you would have to truck it to the inspection station. Customs is not involved in the registration process.
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  #9  
Old 19 Nov 2017
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Back in 2014 when I arrived in Japan from S. Korea with my bike I was not able to release from custom as I did not poses International driving licence so they wonted me to go and apply for Japanese driving licence ...to avoid that process I sing waiver that I am not going to ride my motorcycle with out driver licence on public road...but they did not specified which licence ...as I possessed regular California driving licence I rode all the way to Tokyo without any problems.
Ah..just to ad that my argument was that I can push and not ride my Suzuki dr650 along the road all the way to Tokyo...:
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