Car/Vehicle Shipping Cost from Tokyo to San Diego, California

As your car enters the port warehouse, the vehicle is prepped for shipment. Then as the ship leaves the port, you will receive a Bill of Lading and notification with the ETA. How long does it take to import a car from Japan to the USA? Shipping a car from Japan will take on average 8-10 weeks.

Japan's "3-year car rule" refers to the mandatory, costly vehicle inspection called Shaken, where new cars get a 3-year certificate, then renew every 2 years, making older cars expensive to keep, leading many owners to trade in for new ones, boosting sales and the used car export market for well-maintained vehicles. This encourages frequent upgrades, but proper maintenance can extend a car's life significantly.

Japan has some of the most competitive new vehicle costs in Asia and the rest of the globe. This is due to Japan's vast economy, which allows for ``scale economies,'' as well as the fact that automobiles made locally do not need to be shipped as far for sale.