Car/Vehicle Shipping Cost from Tokyo to Raleigh, North Carolina

Car Shipping from Japan to USA starts at a cost of $1,895 USD, depending on make and model of the vehicle and whether the destination in the USA is on the east or west coast. Below, our 2025 guide will explore everything you need to know about car shipping from Japan to the USA.

Cars from Japan are cheap due to a combination of factors: a strong domestic auto industry creating scale economies, Japanese consumers frequently upgrading vehicles, excellent car care leading to high-quality used stock, and the costly mandatory Shaken inspection that incentivizes selling cars at lower mileage. High local supply, combined with good condition and low mileage on many used models, makes them very affordable, especially when exported.

It's usually cheaper to drive your car than to ship it, especially for shorter distances, but the cost difference shrinks with longer trips, and shipping can be better if you factor in time, wear-and-tear, potential breakdowns, or if your vehicle is in poor condition. Driving covers your personal travel costs (gas, hotels, food) plus added vehicle wear, while shipping involves paying a company for transport, with open trailers being cheaper than enclosed ones for more valuable cars, and inoperable vehicles costing more to ship.