![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/newest-driving-license-in-black-lady-hands-closeu-2022-12-16-08-03-12-utc-1024x683.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nDriving in Japan 101<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nCars in Japan drive on the left side of the road, with the driver\u2019s seat and steering wheel located on the right side of the car. The minimum legal driving age is 18 in Japan and so long as you are on the major roads, signs are generally in both Japanese and English. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The typical speed limits in Japan are 80~100km\/ph on highways; 40km\/ph in city and urban areas; 30 km\/ph on small side streets; and around 50~60km\/ph everywhere else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to owning and driving a car in Japan, there is a pretty extensive checklist that needs to be dealt with before you can purchase a car, let alone get behind the wheel. <\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/parking-lot-2021-08-26-16-38-16-utc-1024x767.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nParking Space<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nBefore you think about stepping into a car showroom, you first need to canvass your local neighborhood for a parking space, which needs to be within 2km of your registered home address. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This may seem like putting the cart before the horse but in order to purchase a car in Japan, you need to show proof of owning or renting a parking space via a certificate called a shako-shomei<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe average monthly rent for a parking space can cost anywhere between \u00a515,000 ~ \u00a560,000 depending on your location. Make sure to bring a tape measure to measure the parking space to ensure that your car will actually fit in it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If looking for an apartment that comes with a parking space, Village House<\/a>, may be able to help you. Check out the property listings on their website<\/a> for more details. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/768x300-EN.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCar Tax in Japan<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nOwning a car in Japan comes with a lot of caveats, one of which is taxes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is an annual \u201cautomobile tax\u201d, which is calculated depending on the vehicle\u2019s engine size (amount of the vehicle\u2019s emission). Known as jidousha-zei<\/em> in Japanese, it can cost anywhere from \u00a510,000 ~ \u00a5100,000 and the invoice will be sent to your registered home address every April. <\/p>\n\n\n\nNext, upon purchasing a car, you\u2019ll have to pay jidousha-shutoku-zei<\/em> or an \u201cacquisition tax\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\nLastly, during a mandatory vehicle inspection, which occurs every two years (the first inspection of a newly purchased vehicle will be conducted after three years, and after that, it occurs every two years), you\u2019ll be subject to jidousha-juryou-zei<\/em> or a \u201ctonnage tax\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/car-and-pen-on-insurance-documents-car-insurance-2022-11-04-22-14-54-utc-1024x683.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCar Insurance in Japan<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nLike almost anywhere else in the world, you\u2019ll need to purchase car insurance when buying a car. In Japan, this \u201cautomobile liability insurance\u201d is called jibaiseki-hoken<\/em> and covers compensation for damages of expected profit lost in the event of third parties\u2019 injury or death. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe average limit of liability is as follows: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- 30 million yen in the event of death <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 1.2 million yen in the event of injury <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n- Between \u00a5750,000 ~ 40 million yen in the event of residual disability <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
This insurance can cost between \u00a520,000 ~ \u00a530,000 annually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the \u201cautomobile liability insurance\u201d doesn\u2019t cover everything, drivers are also encourage to purchase nin-i-hoken<\/em> or \u201cvoluntary insurance\u201d, which can be an extra \u00a540,000 ~ \u00a570,000 per year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/customer-making-inspection-check-to-a-car-engine-r-2022-10-19-04-14-05-utc-1024x683.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nVehicle Inspection<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nOnce you\u2019re the proud owner of your shiny new car (or reliable secondhand car), your new four-wheeled baby will have to undergo a shaken<\/em>, or compulsory safety inspection, every 2 years. This inspection will drain your bank account of \u00a5100,000 ~ \u00a5200,000; and remember that you\u2019ll also have to fork out an extra \u00a58,000 ~ \u00a550,000 for the tonnage tax as well as renew your mandatory insurance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCar Loan in Japan<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nOne way to avoid the fees and taxes above is to lease a car instead so that you only pay for the usage of the car. With no down payment and large upfront costs, you\u2019ll only be responsible for the monthly fees because maintenance fees and insurance fees are included in the lease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Generally, when leasing a car in Japan, a guarantor is required along with a commitment of 3 years. If the contract is broken before this time, a cancelation penalty fee will apply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If all of this information sounds a bit too daunting, then perhaps it\u2019s better to rely on Japan\u2019s very reliable public transport. You can ensure you have access to the trains and buses when living in Japan by checking out Village House<\/a>, a real estate company with over 1,000 rental properties across Japan\u2019s 47 prefectures. <\/p>\n\n\n\nRelated articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- The Beginner\u2019s Guide to Car Rental in Japan<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A Guide To Parking Fees (Updated for 2025!)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Thinking about buying a car in Japan? Here are some important points to consider before looking for your next vehicle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":17103,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-japanese-apartment-life"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17102"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17102\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nParking Space<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nBefore you think about stepping into a car showroom, you first need to canvass your local neighborhood for a parking space, which needs to be within 2km of your registered home address. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This may seem like putting the cart before the horse but in order to purchase a car in Japan, you need to show proof of owning or renting a parking space via a certificate called a shako-shomei<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe average monthly rent for a parking space can cost anywhere between \u00a515,000 ~ \u00a560,000 depending on your location. Make sure to bring a tape measure to measure the parking space to ensure that your car will actually fit in it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If looking for an apartment that comes with a parking space, Village House<\/a>, may be able to help you. Check out the property listings on their website<\/a> for more details. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCar Tax in Japan<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nOwning a car in Japan comes with a lot of caveats, one of which is taxes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is an annual \u201cautomobile tax\u201d, which is calculated depending on the vehicle\u2019s engine size (amount of the vehicle\u2019s emission). Known as jidousha-zei<\/em> in Japanese, it can cost anywhere from \u00a510,000 ~ \u00a5100,000 and the invoice will be sent to your registered home address every April. <\/p>\n\n\n\nNext, upon purchasing a car, you\u2019ll have to pay jidousha-shutoku-zei<\/em> or an \u201cacquisition tax\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\nLastly, during a mandatory vehicle inspection, which occurs every two years (the first inspection of a newly purchased vehicle will be conducted after three years, and after that, it occurs every two years), you\u2019ll be subject to jidousha-juryou-zei<\/em> or a \u201ctonnage tax\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCar Insurance in Japan<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nLike almost anywhere else in the world, you\u2019ll need to purchase car insurance when buying a car. In Japan, this \u201cautomobile liability insurance\u201d is called jibaiseki-hoken<\/em> and covers compensation for damages of expected profit lost in the event of third parties\u2019 injury or death. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe average limit of liability is as follows: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- 30 million yen in the event of death <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 1.2 million yen in the event of injury <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n- Between \u00a5750,000 ~ 40 million yen in the event of residual disability <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
This insurance can cost between \u00a520,000 ~ \u00a530,000 annually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the \u201cautomobile liability insurance\u201d doesn\u2019t cover everything, drivers are also encourage to purchase nin-i-hoken<\/em> or \u201cvoluntary insurance\u201d, which can be an extra \u00a540,000 ~ \u00a570,000 per year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nVehicle Inspection<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nOnce you\u2019re the proud owner of your shiny new car (or reliable secondhand car), your new four-wheeled baby will have to undergo a shaken<\/em>, or compulsory safety inspection, every 2 years. This inspection will drain your bank account of \u00a5100,000 ~ \u00a5200,000; and remember that you\u2019ll also have to fork out an extra \u00a58,000 ~ \u00a550,000 for the tonnage tax as well as renew your mandatory insurance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCar Loan in Japan<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\nOne way to avoid the fees and taxes above is to lease a car instead so that you only pay for the usage of the car. With no down payment and large upfront costs, you\u2019ll only be responsible for the monthly fees because maintenance fees and insurance fees are included in the lease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Generally, when leasing a car in Japan, a guarantor is required along with a commitment of 3 years. If the contract is broken before this time, a cancelation penalty fee will apply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If all of this information sounds a bit too daunting, then perhaps it\u2019s better to rely on Japan\u2019s very reliable public transport. You can ensure you have access to the trains and buses when living in Japan by checking out Village House<\/a>, a real estate company with over 1,000 rental properties across Japan\u2019s 47 prefectures. <\/p>\n\n\n\nRelated articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- The Beginner\u2019s Guide to Car Rental in Japan<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A Guide To Parking Fees (Updated for 2025!)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Thinking about buying a car in Japan? Here are some important points to consider before looking for your next vehicle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":17103,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-japanese-apartment-life"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17102"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17102\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
The average monthly rent for a parking space can cost anywhere between \u00a515,000 ~ \u00a560,000 depending on your location. Make sure to bring a tape measure to measure the parking space to ensure that your car will actually fit in it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If looking for an apartment that comes with a parking space, Village House<\/a>, may be able to help you. Check out the property listings on their website<\/a> for more details. <\/p>\n\n\n Owning a car in Japan comes with a lot of caveats, one of which is taxes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There is an annual \u201cautomobile tax\u201d, which is calculated depending on the vehicle\u2019s engine size (amount of the vehicle\u2019s emission). Known as jidousha-zei<\/em> in Japanese, it can cost anywhere from \u00a510,000 ~ \u00a5100,000 and the invoice will be sent to your registered home address every April. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, upon purchasing a car, you\u2019ll have to pay jidousha-shutoku-zei<\/em> or an \u201cacquisition tax\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, during a mandatory vehicle inspection, which occurs every two years (the first inspection of a newly purchased vehicle will be conducted after three years, and after that, it occurs every two years), you\u2019ll be subject to jidousha-juryou-zei<\/em> or a \u201ctonnage tax\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n Like almost anywhere else in the world, you\u2019ll need to purchase car insurance when buying a car. In Japan, this \u201cautomobile liability insurance\u201d is called jibaiseki-hoken<\/em> and covers compensation for damages of expected profit lost in the event of third parties\u2019 injury or death. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The average limit of liability is as follows: <\/p>\n\n\n\n This insurance can cost between \u00a520,000 ~ \u00a530,000 annually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As the \u201cautomobile liability insurance\u201d doesn\u2019t cover everything, drivers are also encourage to purchase nin-i-hoken<\/em> or \u201cvoluntary insurance\u201d, which can be an extra \u00a540,000 ~ \u00a570,000 per year. <\/p>\n\n\n Once you\u2019re the proud owner of your shiny new car (or reliable secondhand car), your new four-wheeled baby will have to undergo a shaken<\/em>, or compulsory safety inspection, every 2 years. This inspection will drain your bank account of \u00a5100,000 ~ \u00a5200,000; and remember that you\u2019ll also have to fork out an extra \u00a58,000 ~ \u00a550,000 for the tonnage tax as well as renew your mandatory insurance. <\/p>\n\n\n One way to avoid the fees and taxes above is to lease a car instead so that you only pay for the usage of the car. With no down payment and large upfront costs, you\u2019ll only be responsible for the monthly fees because maintenance fees and insurance fees are included in the lease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Generally, when leasing a car in Japan, a guarantor is required along with a commitment of 3 years. If the contract is broken before this time, a cancelation penalty fee will apply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If all of this information sounds a bit too daunting, then perhaps it\u2019s better to rely on Japan\u2019s very reliable public transport. You can ensure you have access to the trains and buses when living in Japan by checking out Village House<\/a>, a real estate company with over 1,000 rental properties across Japan\u2019s 47 prefectures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Related articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Thinking about buying a car in Japan? Here are some important points to consider before looking for your next vehicle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":17103,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-japanese-apartment-life"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17102"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17102\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCar Tax in Japan<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCar Insurance in Japan<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nVehicle Inspection<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCar Loan in Japan<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n