In Part 01 of this series, we explored the journey of finding the perfect classic car. Despite living in Tokyo, the ideal route to acquiring my dream Prince Skyline GT-B surprisingly led me to purchasing an export model from Australia. Now, in this installment, we delve into the crucial next step: navigating Japan’s renowned Shaken roadworthiness inspection to get this Car From Japan legally on the road.
A Prince Skyline GT-B undergoing the Shaken inspection process in Japan, ensuring roadworthiness for Japanese roads.
At this stage, while I was in Tokyo, my classic car was thousands of kilometers away in Sydney. After carefully considering various options, I chose the same importer recommended by Skorj, known for importing his Honda S800. His professionalism and straightforward approach were reassuring. He efficiently coordinated with an exporter in Australia and arranged shipping to Tokyo. However, the initial leg of the journey, transporting the car to the exporter’s shop within Australia, was something I organized directly with the car’s previous owner.
The sea voyage from Sydney to Kawasaki took approximately a month. Upon arrival, preparing the car to be road-ready in Japan took an additional two weeks, involving customs clearance and initial checks before even facing the Shaken.
The Prince Skyline GT-B, bearing chassis number GR21-796, awaits its journey from Australia to Japan, the starting point of its Japanese road legal journey.
Before I could register and license my GT-B, a parking space certificate from the local police station was mandatory. Tokyo’s high population density means real estate is precious, and parking is no exception. To secure this certificate, I had to prove I had a designated parking spot for the car, either owned or rented. This involved completing a detailed parking registration form, accompanied by a precise map and dimensions of my parking space. Because my spot was on the upper level of a two-tiered lift system, these specifics also needed to be documented.
A few days after submitting the application, the police conducted a site visit to verify the parking space. They confirmed its existence, took direct measurements if it wasn’t previously registered, and verified that the space belonged to the applicant. They often liaise with the landlord to double-check these details.
Careful loading of the Prince Skyline GT-B for shipping, ensuring safe transport from Australia, a crucial step in bringing this classic car from Japan back to its homeland.
Any car imported into Japan must undergo registration and the Shaken inspection. There are no exceptions unless the vehicle is solely for static display, never to be driven on public roads.
The internet is rife with tales about Japan’s supposedly complex and expensive Shaken system (車検, pronounced sha-ken). These stories often paint a picture of a bureaucratic nightmare that can drain your wallet, with costs allegedly reaching ¥500,000 ($4,200-5,000) or more. Some myths even suggest it’s cheaper to buy a new car than to endure the Shaken.
However, the Shaken is not shrouded in mystery, nor are the costs inherently outrageous or unfair – provided you understand the system and how to navigate it. The Shaken system is fundamentally designed to promote three key aspects of vehicle ownership in Japan:
- Prioritizing smaller cars.
- Favoring newer vehicles over older ones.
- Ensuring all cars are maintained to a safe operational standard.
The first two points are crucial for understanding the variable costs related to vehicle weight and age. Weight is a straightforward indicator of efficiency; lighter cars generally consume less fuel, take up less road space, and cause less wear and tear on infrastructure.
Securing the Prince Skyline GT-B for its voyage, a critical phase of the import process for this car from Japan, highlighting the care taken in transportation.
The preference for newer cars is not officially stated but is widely understood to be linked to the idea that newer cars are generally safer and more efficient. Additionally, the Japanese government benefits from taxes and revenue generated from new car sales. This aspect often fuels conspiracy theories among online communities regarding the Shaken system.
The Prince Skyline GT-B safely inside its shipping container, en route from Australia to Japan, marking the journey of this classic car back to its origins.
While owning an older car does incur higher costs, the Shaken fee remains constant until the car reaches 13 years of age. After this point, it typically increases by about 20 percent. Fees continue to rise with age, up to a maximum of 50 percent over the car’s lifespan. However, once a car is 18 years or older, the Shaken fee plateaus and does not increase further. Therefore, cars 18 years and older have a fixed Shaken fee for the remainder of their road-legal life.
However, while age contributes to a cost increase of up to 50 percent, the vehicle’s weight can lead to a much more significant increase – potentially up to 500 percent. This dramatic difference is evident when comparing the fees for a lightweight car like a Suzuki Twin (under one ton) to a heavy vehicle like a Hummer (up to three tons).
Prince Skyline GT-B being prepared for export, showcasing the initial steps in bringing this Japanese automotive icon back to Japan from overseas.
Fortunately, many classic cars, including models from Japan, tend to be lighter than modern vehicles. Despite being considered a mid-size sedan in its era, the Skyline GT-B falls into the most affordable non-kei car weight category, ranging from 501 to 1000 kg. For a car of this weight and age, the base Shaken cost is approximately ¥20,000 ($165-200).
These cost considerations primarily apply to conventional gasoline-powered cars. Electric vehicles, hybrids, fuel cell vehicles, and kei cars generally benefit from even lower Shaken fees.
Crucially, the method you choose to obtain your Shaken significantly impacts the overall cost. The Shaken fees encompass four main components:
- Road tax: Calculated based on vehicle weight and age.
- Compulsory insurance: Approximately ¥25,000 ($210-250).
- Testing fee: Around ¥2,000 yen ($17-20).
- Vehicle safety repairs, if required.
This last point, safety-related repairs, is where expenses can escalate rapidly, particularly if you opt for a Shaken service at an authorized dealership.
Close-up of the Prince Skyline GT-B during shipping, highlighting the details of this classic car from Japan as it begins its journey to Japanese roads.
Authorized dealers, bound by Japanese customer service standards, prioritize safety and adherence to manufacturer specifications. Consequently, if any component is deemed to need replacement – even preventatively – it will likely be replaced. For instance, the slightly yellowed radiator overflow bottle on our older Honda CR-V, despite being functionally sound, received a ¥75,000 ($625-700) replacement estimate at a dealership, simply to preemptively address potential Shaken concerns.
Most dealerships operate on the principle of replacing any part that might conceivably need replacement before the next Shaken inspection, aligning with manufacturer recommendations. While cynical views might attribute this to revenue generation, it’s also rooted in the Japanese cultural emphasis on minimizing future obligations and ensuring customer safety and satisfaction.
The Prince Skyline GT-B in its new Tokyo environment, having successfully arrived from Australia and ready for the final stages of Japanese registration.
Since the majority of Japanese car owners typically rely on authorized dealers for servicing, this practice ensures a high standard of vehicle safety and maintenance across the car parc. This also explains the rarity of poorly maintained, old cars on Japanese roads.
Is it possible to obtain Shaken without using a dealership? Yes, through a system called User Shaken (ユーザー車検). This self-inspection route involves a straightforward process and a very nominal testing fee of ¥2,000 ($17-20) for the inspection appointment. For car enthusiasts who are proactive in maintaining their vehicles, User Shaken offers a fast, affordable, and simple way to ensure their car is legally permitted to be on the road for another two years (or three years for new registrations). This is especially beneficial for owners of classic vehicles like kyuusha.
The Prince Skyline GT-B pictured in Tokyo after undergoing Shaken, now road legal and ready to be driven in Japan, showcasing the successful import of this car from Japan.
Naturally, ensuring your vehicle is safe and roadworthy is paramount, regardless of the Shaken method chosen. The User Shaken inspection itself is a well-defined, structured, and rigorously controlled procedure. After booking an appointment online, you simply arrive at the User Shaken test center and navigate your car through a series of automated checks, including lights, brakes, alignment, speedometer accuracy, emissions, chassis integrity, suspension, and VIN verification.
Assuming your vehicle passes all checks, you receive the necessary Shaken certificate and compliance sticker. As my GT-B was recently imported and considered “new” to the Japanese system, it was granted a three-year Shaken validity, instead of the standard two-year interval for subsequent inspections. In total, I spent ¥75,000 ($620-750) on the Shaken process, including necessary parts replacements to ensure compliance – in my case, this included replacing the headlights due to insufficient brightness. Next on the agenda: obtaining license plates and finally experiencing the thrill of driving my classic car from Japan on Japanese roads. To be continued…
Front view of the Prince Skyline GT-B in Tokyo, highlighting its classic Japanese design after successful import and Shaken compliance, ready to be enjoyed on Japanese roads.
If you missed the beginning of this journey, revisit Part 01 — The Search to see how the search for this car from Japan began.
Rear perspective of the Prince Skyline GT-B in Tokyo, showcasing its iconic styling after completing the Shaken process and becoming a road-legal car from Japan in its home country.
