Car/Vehicle Shipping Cost from Lincoln, Nebraska to Tokyo

The typical cost to ship a car from the USA to Japan ranges from $1,500 to $3,500 per vehicle, depending on the shipping method (container, RoRo, or air), vehicle size, and departure port. This is the base car-shipping-to-Japan cost before export and import fees.

Japan's "3-year car rule" refers to the mandatory, costly vehicle inspection called Shaken, where new passenger cars first get a 3-year certificate, then renew every 2 years, encouraging frequent car replacement and boosting the used car export market, rather than a strict scrapping law. This system, along with higher taxes on older cars, makes it economically sensible for many owners to trade in before major maintenance, creating a large supply of relatively young used vehicles.

If you are importing a vehicle to Japan from the United States, your car will be subject to local customs duties as well as a value-added tax or VAT. Import duty is payable at 10% of the price you paid for the vehicle plus the shipping cost.