Shiotsu Autotrade Japan – President’s Blog

Japanese mini trucks are very popular in the United States, Canada and other countries for off-road applications.  Recently, however, due to strict regulations passed by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), USA, regarding importing mini trucks from Japan, there is confusion in the minds of many importers of mini trucks from the United States.  In this post, we will try to clarify how the EPA has tightened their regulations and demanding more inspections to be carried out in Japan, to make the vehicles eligible for import into the United States.

The revised EPA regulations do not abolish importation of these products, but they do add the requirement to certify engines before importation.  The most popular vehicles impacted by the new regulations are the Japanese Kei-class mini trucks that have been modified to limit speed to 25 mph.  The revised EPA regulations apply when someone modifies a motor vehicle (or motor-vehicle engine) so that it qualifies as a non-road vehicle (or engine).  Engines that are thus modified must be certified to demonstrate compliance with non-road emission standards per 40 CFR 1048.

In short, since mini-trucks were made for on-road use in Japan, they are now “new” non-road vehicles (regardless of the year of actual manufacture) in the United States, thus they must meet EPA emission standards for new non-road vehicles (have a “Certificate of Conformity” for each year, make and model) regardless of whether or not they have their max. speed restricted to 25 mph.

• A certificate of consistency from EPA
• Testing engines to confirm that emission levels as per the EPA standards
• Fulfilling other requirements as specified in the rules for certified engines.

According to the Japanese law, the Kei Trucks have to abide strict EPA emissions standards, the cost of inspections & licensing increase as the vehicle ages, resulting in early trade in.  Most of the Japanese Kei Trucks we export to the United States are used trucks produced from 1990 – 2003.  The strict Japanese inspections keep the mini truck in superior condition and most importantly make them a very good value for importing to the United States as used off road vehicles.  Though Japanese 4×4 Kei Truck is a 60 mph vehicle, but due to U. S. Import Regulations they are restricted to Off Road Use.

Shiotsu Autotrade ensures that each mini truck being exported to U.S. is in good running condition, fitted with EPA approved governors, serviced by our local mechanics & ultimately the buyer is provided with service paperwork which includes original Japanese export papers & the English translation.  We take proper care that buyers mini truck is picked up and delivered safely.  Apart from this our inventory pages always up to date and filled with accurate pictures & descriptions of each Japanese mini truck we have put up for sale.

According to U.S import regulation, one cannot drive Japanese Mini Trucks on U.S. public roads but it can be used exclusively for off road use.  To comply with U.S. law, all our Japanese mini trucks are properly equipped with speed controllers which prevent mini trucks to go beyond maximum speed limit of 25 mph.

Usually we will load about seven Japanese mini trucks in one container (40ft.) and then ship it its destination.  Our staff members have excellent knowledge on how to load mini trucks properly in a container to keep away from any kind of damage during shipping.  Please note that we accept orders for mini trucks only by containers.  If you  are interested in importing mini trucks please get in touch with us with your requirement.

Technorati Tags: mini trucks, Japan, EPA regulations, mini-trucks, Kei Trucks

We often get queries from our customers if we are authorized members of JUMVEA (Japan Used Motor Vehicle Exporters Association).  We are proud to say that we are now authorized member of JUMVEA, and our customers will receive all the benefits and quality assurance from an JUMVEA accredited company.

You can verify our JUMVEA Member Certificate here.

We wish all our customers and well-wishers a Very Happy New Year. Hope this new year will bring joy, prosperity and happiness to you.  And please don’t forget to enjoy safe driving.

In Japan, New Year (shogatsu) is an important holiday season. Most businesses are closed in the first week of January.  Japanese people would typically be with their families to welcome the new year together.

January 1 is considered a very auspicious day in Japan.  It is best to start the new year by going to temple or shrine to offer prayers and watching the first sunrise (hatsu-hinode).  People clean their houses, shops and offices before the commencement of the new year. The new year day is supposed be full of joy and free of stress and anger and people prefer not to work on this day. However, many young people take this opportunity of a long holiday to visit nearby countries for vacation.

For those who can not visit Japan to welcome the new year in Japanese style, I am posting here a picture of sunrise at the Itsukushima shrine in Miyajima island, near Hiroshima. It is considered as one of the three most scenic places in Japan.

Technorati Tags: Japan, New Year, Japanese, Miyajima

This month when I traveled to China on a business trip, one of my friends who is in the exports business, presented me with a Marlboro cigarette box.  As Marloboro is not one of my favorite brands of cigarette, I refused it politely.  But he insisted that I open it and have a look.  When I opened it, I was surprised to find that it was a fantastic cigarette box which can hold cigarettes and it also had a functional mobile phone.

This Marlboro cigarette box has GSM dual band mobile phone, and it also features a 1.8 inch LCD which offers a display of 260,000 colors with 176 x 220 pixel resolution.

In Japan, I have not seen mobile phones like this; and I can not use this one in Japan, as GSM mobile phones are not supported in Japan.  But this product would be a hit in countries such as the United States, Australia, or England.

This Marlboro phone costs only around US$120. If any of you are interested in importing this phone on a large scale, please get in touch with me. I will introduce my friend to you.

Technorati Tags: China, exports, Marlboro, mobile phone, Japan, import

We receive many enquiries from our customers from various countries if we can ship used trucks in CKD (Completely Knocked Down) or SKD (Semi Knocked Down) form from Japan.

Yes, we are happy to announce that we can undertake any jobs of delivering vehicles whether they are mini-trucks or 10-ton heavy trucks.  In our workshop, our skilled mechanics can dissemble trucks and other vehicles, and we can pack the parts in a way desired by the customer.  So what are the advantages of sending used Japanese trucks and other vehicles in CKD or SKD form?

One clear benefit is tremendous savings in the freight.  We can even fit a 10-ton truck in a 40 ft container by dissembling some of its parts.  Many of our customers in African countries and the Caribbeans can benefit from this service.

In many countries such as Philippines and Russia, customs tariffs are very high for fully assembled vehicles, whereas the customs duties for parts are relatively low.  Many countries do not allow import of fully assembled trucks and cars, so the only option is to import the vehicle dissembled in parts and shipped in different containers.  We also offer such service to our customers in these countries.  We can also deliver the vehicles in “half cut” (also known as a “front clip”) form, where the used vehicle is cut in half, through the cab, just rear of the dash board. This is the best option where whole vehicles cannot be legally imported unless they meet EPA and DOT specifications.

We can assure you that it would be much easier to assemble the used trucks and other vehicles shipped by us in CKD or SKD form. in the pictures below, you can see an example of how we dismantle the trucks in our workshop to fit it in a 40 ft container.

Technorati Tags: CKD, SKD, Japan, mini-trucks, heavy trucks, used Japanese trucks

We had a long holiday in Japan this week because of the Obon festival. Most Japanese people go to their ancestral places to pay respects to their ancestors during this period. All the used car and truck auctions in Japan were closed this week. I took this opportunity to visit Thailand and India on a business cum pleasure trip.

India is a colorful country and trucks are no exception.  During my visit to Mumbai, I could see many typical Indian truck designs – often decorated in a colorful way.  The body of the trucks is often built in private workshops, and it is constructed specifically to be decorated.  The workshops employ skilled craftsmen who specialize in truck design and decoration. I personally feel that the decoration is a way to show respect for the vehicle.  In Japan too, we have decorated trucks commonly known as ‘dekotora‘. I will introduce ‘dekotora’ in my next post.

I could also see many old designs of  trucks in India – still in running condition.  It may not be possible for us to see such trucks in Japan, except in a museum.  I have nothing but the greatest admiration for the people around the world who can keep old cars and trucks running forever.

Technorati Tags: Japan, Japanese, used car, truck, auction, India, decoration, dekotora

If your first priority is getting a good price on your Japanese used car or used truck, buying it from the Japanese auto auctions is the right choice for you. Some of the starting bids are as low as 10,000 Yen!  Japanese used car auctions is the right place for finding high quality Japanese used vehicles for low prices. At these auctions, you would often find high quality used cars such as Toyota Corolla, Landcruiser, Nissan Skyline or Honda accord in mint condition at very low prices.

We receive many queries from our customers if they could buy used cars and trucks directly from the Japanese used car auctions.  I would try to clarify the facts related to buying cars from these auctions, in this post.

Japanese used car auctions are not like Ebay auctions where anybody can become a member and bid for the vehicles displayed on auction.  Japanese used car auctions, which are managed by the major auction houses in Japan are not available to the general public.  These Used Car Auctions in Japan allow only dealers who have used car dealer licenses authorized by the Government of Japan.  Further, only auto dealers who pass the stringent quality check performed by an auction house to become a member of that auction.  A company’s business history, property and bank statements are checked and the company is required to provide sureties and security funds.

We, as an authorized member of these auction houses, can act as your agent to bid on cars on your behalf, examine the vehicles for you and execute a fair and transparent trade at the car auction market.  When you buy used Japanese cars from online auction houses, you would neither have the privilege to test drive the used car before you buy  it, now you would get a chance to inspect the car closely. Hence, to know more about the condition or grade of the car, you would have to depend solely upon the ‘Auction-Sheet’, which is nothing, but a car evaluation sheet prepared by the auction house. Although all auction houses have different criteria for measuring the condition of the Japanese used cars, some parameters are the same. For instance, they allocate grades 2 to 5 or 6 to S for the condition of car exteriors, and grades A to C for the state of car interiors. Details about mileage and accident records if any are also noted in the auction sheet.

Before bidding for any used vehicle on the auctions, you have to make sure that you make your requirements clear to us, and communicate with us frequently and regularly. Once we receive your requirements, we will send you pictures and other relevant information about the car or truck you are interested in.  You can also search through the auctions and we can supply you with the password for that.  You can also request for an inspection to be done at the auction premises at an additional cost.  Once you are ready for bidding, you just have to get in touch with us and let us place your bids at the used car auctions. When you win, we will then fax the necessary documents for registering and importing the car or truck. We can also arrange for the shipment of the vehicle to your country.

The majority of used car buyers do not even consider purchasing from a Japanese car auction, because they believe that the process is very difficult. However if you understand the correct process, you will find it is not that hard at all.  We, however suggest that you check the rules and regulations of your country for importing the cars before you start bidding at these auctions.

For more details, please check our Japanese Used Car Auctions page

Technorati Tags: Japanese, used car, used truck, auto auction, Ebay, Japan, Japanese car auction

Sega Toys, a Japanese firm has created a 15 inch tall  girlfriend robot that will go on sale in September for around $170 (18,000 yen), and will target a market of lonely adult men in Japan.

The robot girlfriend may not be tall and blonde, but she doesn’t complain about dirty socks ! She is big-busted, petite, very friendly, and she runs on batteries. She can sing, dance and – should the occasion require it – hand out business cards. She could prove to be a good companion for lonely-hearted men everywhere; she can even kiss on command. The friendly robot is named “Ema”  standing for Eternal Maiden Actualization.

Sega Toys says they want to break the stereotyoe image of robots where the robots are associated with strong, tough and battle-ready, and want to provide a robot which is friendly and interactive.

There will be a big demand for this friendly robot when it will be released.  If any of you would like to own this robot, I can arrange to get one for you.

Technorati Tags: Japanese, girlfriend, robot, Japan

Kinokawa is a small town in Wakayama prefecture of western Japan. There is nothing special about this town, but a cat named Tama has made the town very famous in Japan.

Tama, a 9 year old calico cat is appointed as stationmaster of Kishi Station in Kinokawa. She has been officially working for last two years. Two other cats were named deputy stationmasters at the same Kishi Station. Stationmaster Tama, wearing a formal railway uniform cap, and two other cats often welcome passengers at the unmanned Kishi Station. The railway company feeds her in lieu of salary.

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In Japan, you will often see small sculptures of lucky cat called Maneki Neko. These cats are supposed to bring luck.  Tama is also bringing luck to Kinokawa town. The station went unmanned in April 2006 as the railway line was losing money. But since Tama was appointed as the stationmaster, number of passengers using the line increased dramatically. The Wakayama railway company  expressed its appreciation of the cat’s role in boosting business by promoting her to super stationmaster and also by giving her a spacious stationmaster’s office equipped with a ventilation fan and a toilet.

The operator of the grocery shop at the station has been keeping the three cats. Tama became a national star when she appeared in books and documentaries.  She is also set to appear in a French documentary film about wonder cats around the world.

Technorati Tags: Kinokawa, Japan, Tama, cat, Station, stationmasters, Maneki Neko

Golden week is over now and people are getting back to busy work life once again in Japan. To those who may not know what is ‘Golden Week’, it is a group of national holidays in Japan, beginning with April 29 and ending with May 6. It is not only one of the longest holidays in Japan, but also one of the most popular holidays. Many businesses close for about a week to 10 days depending on the calender. So, if you are going to Japan on business, you should never go during the Golden Week. However, if you are looking for a lovely time of the year and get a first hand experience of Japanese culture, by all means, you should visit during this period.

Many Japanese take this holiday as an opportunity to travel overseas as well as inside Japan. So, many sightseeing and amusement places are very crowded at this time.  Also, airports and train stations in Japan are overflowing with people. It is extremely hard to get reservations for accommodations and transportation around this time.

Apparently the origin of Golden Week comes from the movie industry. They thought it would be a “golden opportunity” for people to have the time to go to the movies. Major holidays in the Golden week are birthday of the former emperor Shouwa, Constitutional memorial day, and Children’s day.

Technorati Tags: Golden week, Japan, Japanese, culture, holiday