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Somebody clarify to me why are there deserted Jdm vehicles in Japan particularly in Okinawa Japan?(like in junkyards or random locations on the island?)I’m actually making an attempt to determine like why are these vehicles sitting there rusting away,not pushed.

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  • Same reason there’s abandoned muscle cars all over North America. We got them domestically so they just aren’t as special to us. Finances, title issues, time, the car’s value, etc can all play a factor.

  • I spent 2 years in Okinawa from 2004 to 2006. I went to many of the junk yards.

    There are numerous reasons why old cars are junked in OKinawa, but it’s mostly about the cost.

    One reason is the JCI (Japanese compulsory Inspection). Every 2 years vehicles must be inspected for illegal modifications, road worthiness, emissions check, etc. The JCI cost, stamp fee, and vehicle weight tax added up to about 60,000 – 70,000 yen. When I was in Okinawa in 2004 it cost me about $650 US dollars for JCI on my 92 Toyota Sera.

    Then there’s another vehicle tax based on vehicle weight or engine size. The little Kei cars where the cheapest, and as the cars get bigger it gets more expensive.

    Then after a car is 13 years old they need to have the JCI every year. This gets pretty expensive for older cars, because you have to pay the inspection fee, pay for any needed repairs, any needed parts, & pay for re-inspection.

    There’s also no auto part stores like Autozone or NAPA with cheap aftermarket replacement parts like brakes rotors, alternators, or water pumps. All those kinds of repair parts are OEM parts with a high cost. For example I needed brake rotors, they wanted over $200 for one rotor. I was able to buy parts from Autozone online for about $20 each, and with shipping halfway around the world it was still only $100 for 2 rotors and new brake pads, and 4 sparks plugs.

    Another reason is the number of American military on Okinawa. They are usually stationed on Okinawa for 2 or 3 years. They can’t take their car with them. If they can’t sell their car before they leave the cars get junked.

  • All of the reasons mentioned by other commenters, but also because of Japanese vehicle inspection requirements. It is very expensive to get older vehicles inspected and maintained to a level that will pass their inspections. If a car does not have the mandatory inspection sticker renewed every two years, it is illegal to drive.

  • Lots of what we consider cool jdm sports cars are extremely expensive to own/drive legally on the road over there. Their annual registration becomes more expensive with age and engine size. Meaning the cheapest vehicles to own are brand new kei cars, and an old 90s turbo is pretty much the most expensive car to own.

    As well as what others have mentioned, they’re not special over there, they’re common as.

  • Its the same reason there are abandoned muscle cars in the US and nobody cares about.

    JDM cars in japan are normal cars to japanese people. A left hand drive mustang is probably cooler to them than a rhd 180sx.

  • It’s probably not just Okinawa, the only reason it looks like it has more abandoned cars is because Sammit made a ton of videos on here where he looked for abandoned cars

  • People loose interest, don’t have the spare time, ran out of money? literally hundreds of reasons why a car, any car, gets left lying up for years.

    plus don’t forget, in Japan, cars like these aren’t considered to be as special in the same way they are in countries where they were not originally available

  • Hmmmm…why would the domestically-available cars be collecting dust in the domestic region in which they were originally sold and, resultantly, not be coveted like they are in the markets that never sold them?

    Smh.

  • In China, Chinese food is just called food. And sometimes they don’t eat it all and it just goes to waste.

  • Because 15+ year old “JDM” cars for them are what Buick LeSabres, Ford Tauruses, and Pontiac Sunfires are to us. Shitty, outdated 2000’s/90’s cars that have run their course and are more of a hassle to get working again than is worth.

    When you see an old, beaten up 2003 Cadillac Seville or PT Cruiser parked in someone’s yard with tarps over it, you don’t feel the need to go and save it right? It’s a piece of shit, and you know it is. That’s what these cars are to Japanese people.

    The only reason non-Japanese people car about them so much is because they weren’t available wherever they live, so it’s desirable. These cars aren’t desirable to them, because they’re domestic and they can get them whenever they want at a used car dealer.

  • Abundance… simple as that… you know how many GM, Fords, and old Chrysler vehicles are rotting in US junkyards ?

  • Taxes, man. If in Japan your salary is not equal to the salary of Mr. Beast, you simply will not be able to maintain a car over 30 years old, because taxes on it are like on an airplane.

  • Also Okinawa if I’m not mistaken is small and has US military personnel that come and go buying stuff. As well as huge rust problems in that area. If I’m thinking of the right place…

  • The Japanese car ownership system is set to encourage people to buy new cars every 3-5 years. Registration costs increase considerably beyond that and the yearly Shaken becomes another big cost. In a lot of cases you also have to pay to dispose of the car! So people leave them to waste away in car parking spaces (most people don’t have garages). In most cases, it doesn’t cost anything to hard park it.

  • When you see a late 80’s / early 90’s Cadillac rusting away at a junkyard in the US, do you feel compelled to save it? How about when you see a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix in a similar state?

    Its like that.

  • From what I’ve heard lots of Okinawa is military based so lots of people buy a car when they’re stationed there and then get transferred out and never do anything with the car

  • Same reason thousands of trashed cars are in the us
    The owner had to much trouble keeping track of the car
    Also important that some Japanese people despise/look down on exporting their domestic cars to the US or other countries

  • A lot of the cars sitting outside homes, are there because the owners have passed away, and their wives etc. want to keep it as a memory. And since Japanese often live well into their 90’s, or 100+, that can be a long few decades sitting rusting.

  • Exactly like you see old cars rusting away here in the states it’s not exotic to them its normal now here in the US we treasure our old cars me being one of those people but it’s like seeing an old pickup to them

  • Lots of these abandoned cars in Japan. Looking at Okinawa specifically, a lot of vehicles have issues with rust and rot because of the salt in the air. Is it possible to fix? Probably. Is it worth it? Probably not.

  • until 1995, cars older than 10 yrs after first registration must pass inspection every year. now all car have inspection biannually except for first registration which valid for 3yrs.

    instead of inspection frequency change, they now charge more tax on old cars. after 13 yrs 17% added to tax based on engine size, 20% added to tax based on vehicle mass. after 18 yrs 25% based on vehicle mass. despite mass does not gain over time.

  • Cuz there just a 30 year old car there, I live in Australia and the same thing would happen to a falcon or commodore of that age because there normal cars whereas anywhere else in the worl they are just about unknown.