I’m an American who recently moved to Japan and looking for a car, finding a lot of kanji plate cars that I’m interested in buying but I can only drive / register a “Y” or “A” plate. Is there any way I can purchase a car with a kanji plate and then change it to an “Y” or “A” plate?
6 comments
Genuinely curious…why?
Y and A plates designate cars that are registered to those under the SOFA status. If you have SOFA and not a regular Visa then, yes you should change the plate. If you don’t have SOFA status, then you cannot.
Once you purchase, it will have to go to the LTO office for which ever base you are affiliated with to have the title out into your name and a new plate assigned. If you are purchasing from a dealer they will know what to do. Otherwise contact the base registration office for vehicles and they can guide you. Depends on the beach of service you are in on what the office is called. Navy calls it MVRO but I forget what the Air Force and Army call it.
What is this?
I’ve got a license but I’ve got no idea what’s going on here? I need special plates???
https://cnrj.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/CFA-Yokosuka/Operations-and-Management/Departments/Security/Vehicle-Registration-Office/
See the first two links specifically.
If you’re buying from a dealer then they will get you the correct plate. If you’re buying from a Japanese person then it will be more complicated.