How to Import a Used Car from Japan: A Step-by-Step Guide
A clear, practical walkthrough of buying and importing a used car from Japan — from choosing stock and getting an FOB price to shipping, documents and clearing customs at your port.
Japan is one of the world's largest sources of clean, well-maintained used vehicles, and buying directly from a Japanese exporter is often far cheaper than buying the same car locally. This guide walks you through the whole process, step by step.
1. Choose your vehicle
Start by deciding what you need — a family car, a commercial van, a 4x4 or heavy machinery. Browse our live stock: every unit shows real photos, mileage, year, engine size and an FOB price. Japanese cars are known for low mileage and careful ownership, and most come with a clear auction grade so you know the condition before you commit.
2. Get a quotation
Once you pick a vehicle, we prepare a quotation. Two prices matter:
- FOB (Free On Board) — the price of the car loaded onto the ship in Japan.
- C&F (Cost & Freight) — FOB plus the shipping cost to your port.
Tell us your destination port and we convert the FOB price into a full C&F quotation, so you know the landed cost before paying anything.
3. Confirm and pay
After you approve the quotation we issue an invoice. Payment is usually by telegraphic transfer (TT) to our company account. The car is reserved for you as soon as payment is confirmed.
4. Shipping
We book the vessel and handle export clearance in Japan. Smaller orders ship by RoRo (the car is driven on and off the ship); mixed loads and parts ship by container. You receive the Bill of Lading and export certificate once the ship departs.
5. Clear customs at your port
When the ship arrives, your local clearing agent uses the documents we send — invoice, Bill of Lading and the Japanese export certificate — to clear the car through customs and pay any local duties. We can recommend what each destination typically requires.
Why buy from Al Mashriq Trading
We are a Japan-based exporter shipping quality used cars, spare parts and machinery worldwide by RoRo and container. Every unit is photographed in our yard, priced transparently, and backed by proper export documentation.
Ready to start? Contact us with the car you like and your destination port, and we'll send a full C&F quotation.