Japan Auction Information
Everything you need to know about buying Japanese used cars โ auction types, grading, dictionary, import rules and more.
There are huge amounts of used car auctions in Japan where everyone could find the vehicle which suits them best โ including cars, bikes, boats and other special vehicles.
In Japan you can find around 30 well-known auction centers and more than 200 local auctions. The most famous throughout all Japan are USS, TAA, JAA, HAA and CAA.
The main reasons why Japanese auctions are so popular are the good quality vehicle checkout system and well-developed auction rules. All vehicles at the auctions get their unique lot numbers and auction lists which characterize the car. The system of conventional symbols and short descriptions are enough to make a purchasing decision.
To help you choose the right bid for your car, car statistics are available where you can find all information about sold car's brand, model, chassis ID, year, mileage or colour.
A lot of cars can be found in different countries after auctions because the Japanese car market is highly valuable all over the world!
๐ Online Auctions
Runs in real time. Auction starts at 9am and continues till the last car. Each trade usually lasts 10โ30 seconds. Bids are placed step by step โ every step equals ยฅ3,000 โ ยฅ5,000 depending on the auction house.
๐จ Sealed Bid Auctions
Accept bids till a certain time. You can bid only once and cannot see others' bids. Results are known that evening or next morning. The highest bidder wins. Note: placing a bid means you agreed to buy โ you cannot refuse.
๐ฒ One Price / Dealer Stock
A place where you can find any vehicle at a fixed price. If you want to buy, you simply agree with the declared price. No competitive bidding. Note: sometimes the seller may find a buyer themselves first.
Not every vehicle is sold at auction. If bids did not reach the seller's asking price, the system marks the car as unsold. In this case we can request negotiation with the owner. Note that the price must be at least ยฅ30,000 higher than the last bid. During purchase through negotiation, commission cost will rise up 2 times.
There are different auto auctions all over Japan and the grading system may differ slightly between them. Here is a guide to help you read and understand auction lists.
The number near the letter indicates severity (e.g. A2 = medium scratch):
Japanese to English translation of common auction sheet terms and symbols.
After the auction you may see various results on the car you bid on:
Japan holds auctions every day of the week except Sunday. Click a day to see which auction houses operate on that day.
Japan's auctions are spread across different regions. Here are the main auction areas and their locations.
Browse cars by manufacturer country. Click on any brand to see available models.
Japanese calendar differs from the Western. It changes every time a new emperor starts to rule. Here is the Japanese calendar translation to help you understand auction sheets.
| Western | Japanese | Western | Japanese |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Heisei 30 | 2003 | Heisei 15 |
| 2017 | Heisei 29 | 2002 | Heisei 14 |
| 2016 | Heisei 28 | 2001 | Heisei 13 |
| 2015 | Heisei 27 | 2000 | Heisei 12 |
| 2014 | Heisei 26 | 1999 | Heisei 11 |
| 2013 | Heisei 25 | 1998 | Heisei 10 |
| 2012 | Heisei 24 | 1997 | Heisei 9 |
| 2011 | Heisei 23 | 1996 | Heisei 8 |
| 2010 | Heisei 22 | 1995 | Heisei 7 |
| 2009 | Heisei 21 | 1994 | Heisei 6 |
| 2008 | Heisei 20 | 1993 | Heisei 5 |
| 2007 | Heisei 19 | 1992 | Heisei 4 |
| 2006 | Heisei 18 | 1991 | Heisei 3 |
| 2005 | Heisei 17 | 1990 | Heisei 2 |
| 2004 | Heisei 16 | 1989 | Heisei 1 / Showa 64 |
| Western | Japanese | Western | Japanese |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Showa 63 | 1973 | Showa 48 |
| 1987 | Showa 62 | 1972 | Showa 47 |
| 1986 | Showa 61 | 1971 | Showa 46 |
| 1985 | Showa 60 | 1970 | Showa 45 |
| 1984 | Showa 59 | 1969 | Showa 44 |
| 1983 | Showa 58 | 1968 | Showa 43 |
| 1982 | Showa 57 | 1967 | Showa 42 |
| 1981 | Showa 56 | 1966 | Showa 41 |
| 1980 | Showa 55 | 1965 | Showa 40 |
| 1979 | Showa 54 | 1964 | Showa 39 |
| 1978 | Showa 53 | 1963 | Showa 38 |
| 1977 | Showa 52 | 1962 | Showa 37 |
| 1976 | Showa 51 | 1961 | Showa 36 |
| 1975 | Showa 50 | 1960 | Showa 35 |
| 1974 | Showa 49 | 1959 | Showa 34 |
Click on your country to view the specific import regulations for Japanese used cars:
