A vehicle inspection (shaken or JCI inspection) is a compulsory inspection for all vehicles on the road in Japan that must be conducted every 2 years. It ensures that all vehicles on the road are properly maintained and safe to drive. The inspection also checks that vehicles have not been illegally modified. Along with the inspection, payments for Japanese Compulsory Insurance (JCI, or compulsory vehicle liability insurance) and weight tax for the upcoming 2 years must be made. It’s illegal to drive vehicles in Japan without having this inspection complex carried out.

The inspection must be carried out at an authorized service garage or at the inspection center . Inspection and maintenance services can also be found at most car dealers.

If you are asking a service garage or a car dealer to carry out the inspection on your behalf,  the service garage or the dealer will normally provide you with an estimate, including the maintenance fees and agent fee, etc., before they proceed with the inspection.

If you are carrying out the inspection by yourself at the inspection center, you will need to make sure the vehicle is in a condition to pass the inspection and buy compulsory vehicle liability insurance from an insurance company before visiting the inspection center. It may be a good idea to have the vehicle thoroughly checked by a mechanic for a small fee before going to the inspection center to make sure the vehicle is likely to pass the inspection. Otherwise, you will end up going back and forth to the inspection center in case the vehicle is not in the condition to pass the inspection.