Car/Vehicle Shipping Cost from Wellington to Yokohama

Japan's "3-year car rule" refers to the mandatory, expensive vehicle inspection called Shaken, where new cars first require this rigorous safety check three years after purchase, then every two years, and annually after ten years, encouraging frequent vehicle replacement and boosting the used car export market due to high costs and taxes, say www.japan-guide.com, Reddit, and Bloomberg.com. This system ensures high road safety standards but leads many owners to scrap older cars rather than pay for extensive repairs, fueling the international market for seemingly newer used vehicles, according to Bloomberg.com, Facebook, and Reddit.

It's usually cheaper to drive for shorter distances, but for long cross-country moves, shipping can become competitive or even cheaper when you factor in the "hidden" costs of driving (gas, hotels, food, wear-and-tear) versus the upfront shipping fee, especially if you're moving with others or have an unreliable car.

Import duty is payable at 10% of the price you paid for the vehicle plus the shipping cost. Meanwhile, VAT is calculated at 20% of the car's value plus any additional fees. The amount of taxes and import duties payable when shipping a car to Japan from the US will vary and depends on the details of your shipment.