The process
How to import a kei truck from Japan, step by step
From the first message to the title in your hand. Usually 10 to 15 weeks from approving a truck to delivery in Michigan, depending on ship schedules and customs.
- 01
Tell us the truck
Send the model, the years you'd accept, whether you need 4WD, low range, a diff lock, a dump bed or a Jumbo cab, and your budget. We check current Japanese auction and dealer prices for that spec and tell you honestly whether the budget works. The $1,500 sourcing deposit starts the search.
- 02
Approve one truck
For each match you get the original auction sheet with a full English translation, photos including the underbody, the build month (not just the model year) and whether the truck has accident-repair history. Nothing is bought until you approve it. Your second payment is due at approval.
- 03
We buy it in Japan
US buyers can't bid at Japanese dealer auctions directly: membership requires a Japanese company with a used-vehicle trading license. Our partner holds the membership, buys the truck, files the export certificate and moves it to the port.
- 04
Ship and clear customs
Kei trucks share a 40 ft container, which costs less per truck than shipping one alone. The container goes by sea and rail to a Detroit-area ramp. A licensed customs broker files the ISF, CBP Form 7501, the DOT HS-7 (box 1, the 25-year exemption) and EPA 3520-1 (code E), and the 25% truck duty is paid.
- 05
Prepped, titled, delivered
The truck is unloaded in Wayne, checked and serviced (belt, fluids, tires) and is ready for pickup or transport. You receive the export certificate and its translation, the bill of sale, the stamped 7501, the HS-7 and the 3520-1, the documents Michigan's Secretary of State lists for titling an import. The balance is due on delivery.
What we check before we bid
Build month, not model year
A truck must be 25 years old by its date of manufacture. A truck listed as "2001" may not qualify yet, so we confirm the build month on every one before we bid.
Accident-repair history
Japanese listings flag repaired trucks (shūfukureki). We tell you if a truck has it, and skip it unless you want it at a lower price.
Rust underneath
Many affordable 4WD trucks come from snowy regions such as Hokkaido and Nagano. We get underbody photos and the auction sheet before bidding.
Timing belt
The Sambar EN07, Acty E07A and Carry F6A engines use timing belts. Unless there is a record, we budget a belt service before delivery.
How the payments work
To start the search
$1,500
Sourcing deposit. Refunded in full if we find no matching truck within 60 days.
When you approve a truck
$3,000
Paid after you approve the photos, the translated auction sheet and the build month. From here the truck is yours and this payment is non-refundable.
On delivery
Balance
The rest of the agreed price, when the truck is ready in Wayne or before it is trucked to you.
We only take payment into the Kojo JDM business account, against written terms. We never ask you to pay an individual, and we never change bank details by email. Prices are quoted before Michigan's 6% sales tax, title and plates.
How to read a Japanese auction sheet
Every vehicle at a Japanese dealer auction is inspected and graded. Conventions vary a little between auction houses, but these are the parts we translate for you on every truck.
- Overall grade
- S or 6 to 5 near new, 4.5 excellent, 4 good, 3.5 to 3 visible wear, R or RA accident-repaired.
- Interior grade
- A (excellent) to E (poor).
- Damage map
- A scratch, U dent, W wave or repaint, S rust, C corrosion, with a number for size.
- Inspector's notes
- Handwritten Japanese comments: rust spots, smells, modifications, warning lights. We translate every word.
Process questions
How long does it take to import a kei truck?
Usually 10 to 15 weeks from approving a truck to delivery in Michigan, depending on ship schedules and customs.
How do the payments work?
To start the search: $1,500. Sourcing deposit. Refunded in full if we find no matching truck within 60 days. When you approve a truck: $3,000. Paid after you approve the photos, the translated auction sheet and the build month. From here the truck is yours and this payment is non-refundable. On delivery: Balance. The rest of the agreed price, when the truck is ready in Wayne or before it is trucked to you.
Is importing a kei truck legit?
Yes, when the truck is 25 years old by build date and the paperwork is real. Scams in this market use fake auction sheets, wire or crypto payments to individuals, and changed bank details. We only take payment into the Kojo JDM business account, against written terms. We never ask you to pay an individual, and we never change bank details by email.
Can I see the truck before you buy it?
You see the original auction sheet with a full translation, the photos and, where possible, extra photos from our Japan partner, including the underbody. Nothing is bought without your approval.
What paperwork do I get?
Every truck comes with: US customs entry (CBP 7501) and the 25% truck duty paid; DOT HS-7 and EPA 3520-1 import declarations; Japanese export certificate with English translation; Michigan title paperwork, or what your state's DMV needs.
Can't see the truck you want?
Tell us the model, the spec and your budget. We'll come back with real trucks from Japan and an all-in price.
Free quote. No deposit until you approve a budget.