Which area of Japan did my car come from ?

Japan Map snow

Knowing the area of Japan your car was used in is important.

Some areas of Japan are best avoided when it comes to buying cars due to rust issues (snowy areas such as Hokkaido) and possible radiation contamination (Fukushima).

So how to tell which area of Japan your car came from ?

The likely usage area of for a Japanese vehicle can be determined based on past auction records as well as official registration inspection locations from Japanese Transport Authority (MLIT) records.

If a car was re-registered at the same location more than once and then auctioned nearby prior to export, there is a good chance it had only one Japanese owner.

If however it was re-registered in locations quite distant from one another, this evidence is more likely to indicate multiple owners.

This can be useful information to know when building up a picture of the past usage of your vehicle or one you intend to buy.