Car Shipping to Japan
from the United Kingdom
Japan, while primarily an exporter of vehicles, does accept imports. The Ship Cars provides services to Yokohama, Kobe, and Osaka for specialty and classic vehicle imports. View our shipping services or request a quote.
Quick answer: car shipping to Japan from the UK
Shipping a car from the UK to Japan costs from £1,565 port-to-port for a standard saloon (4x4/SUV from £1,860). 35–40 days to Yokohama/Kobe from Southampton. Both RORO and container shipping are available, with vehicles arriving at Yokohama, Kobe, Osaka and 1 more port. The Ship Cars, the vehicle shipping agent of Ascope Shipping Services LTD, handles UK collection, export paperwork and customs documentation end to end.
Shipping to Japan: cars, trucks, machinery and import rules
Information reviewed September 2026. Always confirm final rules with the official authority before shipping.
Car shipping from the UK to Japan
Quick answer: Cars ship from UK ports to Yokohama, Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya in about 35–40 days to Yokohama/Kobe from Southampton. RORO: £1,565. Container: Enquire (20ft container).
Choose RORO shipping for the lowest price on running vehicles, or container shipping for extra protection and personal effects. Specialist options include classic car shipping and electric vehicle shipping.
Estimate your price with the cost calculator or check upcoming departures on the RORO sailing schedule.
Truck and commercial vehicle shipping to Japan
Quick answer: Trucks, lorries, vans and pickups usually ship by RORO to Yokohama, Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya, priced by length, height and weight (per cubic metre). Transit is about 35–40 days to Yokohama/Kobe from Southampton.
- Exact length, width, height and gross weight required for a quote
- Running and non-running trucks accepted (towing / crane loading arranged)
- Tanks drained, loose items removed, V5C and export declaration needed
- Check Japan age and emissions limits for commercial vehicles before buying
Read more: truck shipping service, commercial vehicle shipping and our guide to shipping a truck from the UK.
Machinery and plant shipping to Japan
Quick answer: Excavators, tractors, forklifts and agricultural equipment ship as RORO or break-bulk cargo to Yokohama, Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya. Machinery must be clean and free of soil — most countries, including Japan, inspect for biosecurity.
- Tracked machines loaded on MAFI trailers or flat-racks
- Professional washing and fumigation certificates where required
- Dimensions and weight drive the price — oversize cargo quoted individually
- Commercial invoice and proof of ownership needed for customs
See our heavy machinery shipping service and customs clearance support.
Japan vehicle import rules (September 2026)
- Japan has relatively straightforward import rules but vehicles must pass the strict Shaken (車検) safety inspection.
- Import duty is 0% for passenger cars.
- Consumption tax is 10%.
- Vehicles drive on the left (right-hand drive), so UK cars are compatible.
Documents required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Shaken inspection certificate
UK side: notify the DVLA with the V5C export notification, and see documents required and vehicle age restrictions by country.
Official Japan & UK government resources
Always confirm current customs, duty and vehicle registration rules with the official authorities before you ship.
Shipping a vehicle to Japan?
Tell us your vehicle and collection address and we'll send a fixed all-in price for Japan, usually within one working day.
- No obligation
- UK-wide collection
- RORO & container options
Methods
RORO & Container
Transit Time
35–40 days to Yokohama/Kobe
Ports
Yokohama, Kobe +2
Starting From
£1,565
Overview
Japan, while primarily an exporter of vehicles, does accept imports. The Ship Cars provides services to Yokohama, Kobe, and Osaka for specialty and classic vehicle imports.
Shipping Methods
RORO and container shipping to major Japanese ports. Monthly RORO sailings available.
Transit Time
35–40 days to Yokohama/Kobe from Southampton.
Import Regulations
Japan has relatively straightforward import rules but vehicles must pass the strict Shaken (車検) safety inspection. Import duty is 0% for passenger cars. Consumption tax is 10%. Vehicles drive on the left (right-hand drive), so UK cars are compatible.
Documents Required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Shaken inspection certificate
Costs & Fees
| Saloon vehicle — RORO | £1,565 |
| 4x4 / SUV — RORO | £1,860 |
| Container | Enquire (20ft container) |
| 2 cars (saloon / 4x4) — 40ft container | Enquire |
Port-to-port only. UK collection, destination charges and import duty are quoted separately.
RORO shipping to Japan (Yokohama) is £1,565 port-to-port for a saloon and £1,860 for a 4x4 / SUV. No import duty on cars. Consumption tax 10%. Acquisition tax varies by prefecture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there import duty on cars in Japan?
Does Japan drive on the left?
How long does it take to ship a car from the UK to Japan?
Which UK ports do you ship from to Japan?
What documents do I need to ship a car to Japan?
What shipping methods are available from the UK to Japan?
How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK to Japan?
Available Ports
Why ship a car to Japan from the UK
The Ship Cars is a specialist UK vehicle export company moving cars, SUVs, classics, motorbikes and light commercials to Japan every month. Asia is a highly regulated but premium-priced corridor for UK car exports, with strong demand from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan for right-hand-drive vehicles, and tightly controlled markets in India, China and Vietnam. Typical clients on this lane include Singapore and Hong Kong dealers, alongside private owners relocating to Japan and returning residents importing a personal vehicle. Our UK-to-Japan corridor is engineered around predictable transit, transparent pricing and full compliance with Japan customs.
Vehicles depart from Southampton, Bristol (Portbury), Felixstowe and arrive at Yokohama, Kobe, Osaka and 1 more port via direct Far East rotation via Colombo and Singapore. Typical door-to-port turnaround is 35–40 days to yokohama/kobe from southampton, supported by marine all-risks insurance, GPS-tracked UK collection and bonded warehousing where required. For an instant indication of cost, use our car shipping cost calculator or request a tailored quote on our quote page.
How UK to Japan car shipping works
Every shipment to Japan follows the same six-step pipeline: free quotation, UK collection or self-drop at Southampton, bonded UK warehousing and pre-shipment photos, HMRC NOVA / C88 export clearance handled by our UK customs clearance team, ocean transit to Yokohama (and onward feeder to Kobe where required), and destination customs handover. You choose the shipping mode that best matches the vehicle profile and budget — see the full breakdown on our car shipping costs page or compare live RORO sailing dates to Japan.
RORO to Japan
Roll-on/Roll-off is the lowest-cost method for running, road-legal vehicles bound for Japan. Drive-on at the UK port, drive-off at Yokohama. RORO shipping to Japan — check the weekly RORO schedule.
Container to Japan
20ft sole-use or 40ft dedicated containers give classic, high-value, modified or non-running vehicles fully enclosed protection on the route to Kobe. Dedicated container shipping to Japan.
Japan ports, routing and transit
Vehicles bound for Japan are typically routed through Yokohama as the lead discharge port, with Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya available as alternatives depending on sailing schedule and onward inland transport. We schedule loads to match weekly RORO sailing schedules to Japan and book 20ft and 40ft container slots on the same rotation.
- Port of Yokohama
- Port of Kobe
- Port of Osaka
- Port of Nagoya
- UK departure: Southampton
- UK departure: Tilbury
- UK departure: Bristol (Portbury)
Japan import duty, VAT and customs in 2026
Importing a vehicle into Japan is regulated and document-driven. The headline framework is summarised below; our team verifies every figure against the latest Japan customs schedule before quoting.
- Strict homologation and emission standards (Euro 4–6)
- Carnet de Passage in selected markets
- Right-hand-drive advantage for South and East Asia
- Container shipping via Singapore, Port Klang and Hong Kong
Document checklist for Japan
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Shaken inspection certificate
For full country-specific customs rules, see our Japan import guides and articles, our UK and Japan customs clearance service, or use the duty-inclusive cost calculator for a landed estimate to Yokohama.
Who ships to Japan
- • Returning Japan residents and dual nationals
- • UK expats relocating to Japan
- • Asia car dealers and Japan re-exporters
- • Private collectors and classic-car enthusiasts
- • Diplomatic missions and corporate fleets
- • Online auction buyers (Copart, BCA, Manheim)
Vehicles we ship to Japan
- • Saloons, hatchbacks and family cars
- • SUVs, 4x4s and pickups (Land Rover, Range Rover, Toyota, Nissan)
- • Luxury and executive vehicles (Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi)
- • Performance and supercars (McLaren, Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari)
- • Classic and historic vehicles (pre-1990 with HMRC NOVA exemption)
- • Motorbikes, scooters and quad bikes
- • Vans, light commercials and motorhomes
- • Electric and hybrid vehicles (EV battery documentation supported)
Why exporters choose The Ship Cars for Japan
• Specialist UK-to-Japan corridor with weekly capacity
• Marine all-risks insurance and bonded UK warehousing
• HMRC NOVA, C88, EORI and DVLA V5C export handled in-house
• Transparent UK to Japan pricing with no hidden destination fees
• Direct relationships with Yokohama agents
• Dedicated account manager from booking to delivery
Related services and tools for shipping to Japan
Shipping methods
Pricing & schedules
Guides & comparisons
Other Asia destinations from the UK
We ship to 8+ other Asia countries from the UK on the same trade lanes as Japan. Many customers shipping to Japan also enquire about South Korea, Singapore because routing, customs documentation and transit windows overlap.
Get an instant quote for car shipping to Japan
Request a free, no-obligation UK-to-Japan shipping quote online. Most quotes are returned within one working hour.