There are many reasons why you should buy and export a car from Japan's Car Auctions. Around 92% of all cars in Japan are privately owned and well cared for, driven slower over less miles on better roads.

Cars sold at Auction in Japan are also cheaper than many export markets (up to 70% cheaper than in the UK) and in far better condition for their age! Here are some reasons why:

• The condition of Japan's roads are the best in the world - smooth and pot hole free - so cars take less punishment.
• Car parks have wider spaces, so bodywork and doors don't get dented.
• Apart from a very few exceptions, Japan does not 'salt' roads in winter, so no underbody rust.
• Lower mileage - as driving long distances is uneconomic e.g. a typical 400 mile trip costs ¥13,800 (£100) in motorway Tolls! It's easier to go by train!
• There are no company cars in Japan, cars are privately owned so the level of care is much higher.
• Companies don't provide employee parking, employees commute by train, they don't take the car.
• The rigorous 'Shaken' inspections, every 2 years, which are expensive so this is seen as a good time to buy a new car and avoid the cost of another Shaken.

Saving UK Road tax

There are some extra bonuses in certain markets, for example:

• Low Road Tax - If you are exporting a car from Japan to the UK, you can register any size vehicle with DVLA as a PLG (TC11) with a road tax rate of £270 a year, even for a 6.0 Litre V12 Jaguar!

All this adds up to some compelling reasons to buy and import cars from Japan, however If this all sounds too good to be true, then you would be right.

There are some risks involved with purchasing a car from Japan and the biggest risk involves the recorded mileage.

Mileage Fraud

Sadly falsification of the mileage odometer (Clocking) is a real risk and relatively easy to do, both for digital and mechanical versions.

As exporting vehicles from Japan becomes more popular, with high profits to be made, so are the instances of mileage fraud.

The Mileage 'Black Hole'

Japan does not share vehicle mileage data with other countries, so from the time a car is de-registered in Japan until it is newly registered in the country of import, there is no connection or verification, it's a gap or 'Black Hole'.

This 'Black Hole' provides an opportunity for mileage fraud. Less scrupulous players in the vehicle supply chain are able to expoilt this weakness, reduce mileage and increase the price and profit. This is compounded by the fact that even high mileage cars in Japan can be in such excellent condition that their true mileage is difficult to ascertain from visual inspection.

How can you be sure a vehicle's mileage is true?

One very effective way is to obtain independent authentication and certification from an organisation such as JIVCA.

There are a number of documents that hold mileage data, such as, Japan's Export Certificate, The Auction's Vehicle Sheet and The Owner's Service Records, however the most critical of these documents are copies and none are independently verified and authenticated.

Documents that are supplied with the car to the end user or new owner are by organisations that have a commercial interest in the vehicle's sale price, so this creates a potential conflict of interest.

Export Certificate Mileages

The Original Japanese Export Certificate is the most reliable document, however for the UK Market, the original is sent to the DVLA and not returned!

The Export Certificate will show the last two mileages recorded (rounded up) at previous 'Shaken' inspections (every 2 years). As cars are typically sent to auction when a Shaken is due, this can mean that the latest mileage figure is now over 2 years old.

The last 2 years are critical

In Japan vehicles are typically traded in and auctioned prior to a 'Shaken' inspection so the owner can avoid the Shaken and it's costs and choose a new car. This 2 year period will have an major impact on mileage related documentation.

Service inspection sheets and the auction sheet, can easily be falsified. Service sheets (if avaiable) should be closely inspected for the last 2 years in Japan as there will be a strong possibility that the vehicle has not been serviced in this period.

As auction sheets are undated and hand written, these are the easiest document to falsify.