Pre-order from Japan
Import a kei truck from Japan, without doing it yourself
Kojo JDM finds the truck at Japanese auctions and dealers, checks its build month, shows you the translated auction sheet and underbody, buys it through our licensed Japan partner, ships it by container, clears US customs and delivers it to Wayne, Michigan or your property.
- Free quote. No deposit until you approve a budget.
- You approve the truck before we buy
- All-in price before you commit
- If we cannot find a truck that matches your brief and budget within 60 days, the deposit is refunded in full.
What's included
Everything between the auction and your driveway
Truck search
Japanese dealer auctions and dealer stock, filtered to your spec, your budget and a build month that is already 25 years old.
Sheet translation
The original auction sheet, translated line by line, with the inspector's notes, underbody photos and any repair history.
Licensed buying
Our Japan partner is an auction member. Nothing is bought until you approve the truck and the price.
Export and shipping
Export certificate and translation, a shared 40 ft container by sea and rail to the Detroit area, and marine insurance.
Customs and duty
A licensed customs broker files the ISF, 7501, HS-7 and 3520-1, and the 25% truck duty and fees are paid.
The process
How a pre-order works with us
Usually 10 to 15 weeks from approving a truck to delivery in Michigan, depending on ship schedules and customs.
- 1
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.
- 2
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.
- 3
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.
- 4
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.
- 5
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.
Three payments
- 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.
Estimate the landed costWhy not buy direct from an exporter?
A Japan exporter stops at the US port
Japanese exporters sell kei trucks to US buyers every day, but their price usually ends at a US port. The 25% duty, customs clearance, the broker, port charges, trucking, prep and the title are left to you. We handle that whole second half, and you deal with a Michigan business you can visit, not an overseas website.
Models we import
Questions
Pre-order FAQ
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.