Carnet
 

Hello Every body!!

Was wondering if anyone can tell me if you need a carnet for Japan?? Also from what I've read on the site am I correct in believing that you can get through central and south america with one??
Any answers on this would be of great help!!
Thanks very much and a Merry Christmas to all!
Malcolm

Hi Malcom,

Chris Lockwood has a website with good info about getting in and out of Japan with a bike:

http://www2.gol.com/users/chrisl/japan/

You do not NEED a carnet technically, but if you don't have one, then you need to jump through MAJOR hoops. Others have done it. I'm shipping my bike from Portland, OR to Tokyo - with a Carnet - and will be there this upcoming Spring.

Carnets must be "validated" before your bike will be released. What this means is heading for the JAF HQ (sort of like the Japanese AAA) across the street from the Tokyo Tower and asking them to "validate" your carnet. Grab a Rules of the Road in 6 languages pamphlet while you're there as well. For more info try:

http://www.jaf.or.jp/e/list.htm

Hope this helps. When are you planning on going?




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Improvement makes strait roads, but the crooked roads without Improvement, are roads of Genius - William Blake

First of all, this is the "Travellers' Advisories, Safety and Security on the Road" forum. You might want to make future posts in a more relevent forum. A clearer topic may also help. There are a million entries for "carnet" on the HUBB (ok, so I am exaggerating). A search for "Japan" and "carnet" would have given you an aswer without having to ask.

This being said, you can contact me directly if you have questions that my website doesn't answer about Japan. I would be more than willing to answer your questions (after you did the research to find the answers yourself!).

I may come off sounding like an ass, but I say this for the benefit of all. The same question doesn't need to be asked a million times. That being said I do wish you a Merry Christmas and hope to see you on the road!

Chris Lockwood

We just drove through Central- and Southamerica (Equador, Peru, Chile, Argentina) and did not need a Carnet anywhere although everybody told us we must have one, especially for entering Equador. For details, especially for entering Equador, contact Ricardo Rocco (aroundforpeace@yahoo.com), he really knows everything!
But a carnet is helpful for bordercrossing between USA and Canada, but I don't know if you must have one.