Motor-vehicle inspection (Japan)

Shaken (車検^?), a contraction of Jidōsha Kensa Tōrokuseido (自動車検査登録制度^?, "automobile inspection registration system"), is the name of the vehicle inspection program in Japan for motor vehicles over 250 cc in engine displacement.

The inspection system is in place to ensure that vehicles on Japanese roads are properly maintained and are safe to be on the road. Another reason is to determine if a vehicle has been illegally modified. Illegally modified vehicles and vehicles deemed unsafe will have a red sticker with the following: fuseikaizousha (不正改造車^?) (Illegal Vehicle) in yellow and the date the vehicle was declared not fit to be on the street.

The registration and inspection process may be performed by the owner of the vehicle though it is most commonly contracted to a professional mechanic or a dealership. The cost for the shaken is broken up as follows:

For a new registration there are also additional fees for registration and number plates.

A typical third-party shaken for a small or normal sized passenger vehicle costs between ¥100,000 (US$806) and ¥200,000. (US$1,612) However these prices often include large service fees so the cost of a self-performed "user" shaken is much lower though exact prices are dependent on the size, weight and age of the vehicle.

An initial inspection occurs at the vehicle's first registration and renewal inspections must then take place at prescribed intervals thereafter.

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Wikipedia