Beginner

Odometer Inspection and Certificate

The days of the “wild west” or in Japan’s case the “wild east” are largely gone. Back in the day of non-digital odometers it was often a question in the back of one's mind when looking at a car, are these KMs real? Since then, a few changes:

1. A digital world connecting together. ：When a car goes through an auction a digital record is kept of the date and odometer reading. Should that car appear a few years later, it MUST have more kms.
2. Japanese Shaken records.：Every new “shaken” or “warrant of fitness” since 2004 has a record of the odometer reading recorded. Shaken is required after the first 3 years, then every 2nd year after that.

3. Export checking：Companies like JEVIC can certify a vehicle’s odometer authenticity by reviewing the above records as well as checking for signs of tampering.

Due to the above influences the risks to a seller of selling a known tampered vehicle, without stating that on the auction sheet, in the auction can be:

1. Loss of membership in that auction
2. A fine from that auction
3. The sale of the vehicle can be canceled Another risk is with the government, you can be heavily fined or even jailed for tampering with an odometer.¹

So we can confidently say that tampered odometers are no longer an issue in the export market. But what if you want to prove your car has not been tampered with?

For a fee you can have your vehicle checked with the JEVIC inspectors. They will also produce a certificate. In some countries like Malta, this is required by law. In other countries like New Zealand it is just done to every vehicle entering the country.

1. Article 4, Paragraph 1, Item 1 of the Consumer Contract Act:　https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/ja/laws/view/108 ↩︎

External links

• [JEVIC COMPANY LIMITED] https://www.jevic.com/en/
• [Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism] https://www.mlit.go.jp/en/index.html
• [一般社団法人自動車公正取引協議会/Japan Automobile Fair Trade Council] https://www.aftc.or.jp/sp/am/meter/meter_1.html

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