Need to get a US registrstion for a vehicle purchased in Japan? -

I am in the military stationed in Japan and have a Toyta Surf 4x4 which is the same as the US Toyota 4-Runner but with right-hand steering what do I need to do to bring it back to the US?

Spend a lot of money. First -- does it have emission controls that meet US standards? Second -- are US requirements for window glass, airbags, lighting, etc. all met? Go talk to a Toyota dealer and see what he says. And be prepared to pay a whopping freight bill. I had a Toyota Land Cruiser in Saudi Arabia. Loved it. No way to bring it back to the States -- no catalytic converter. Arabia sells leaded gasoline.

I d make sure you can bring it back before you leave man. When I PCSed from Germany the customs guy showed us a series of photos of a Jeep Cherokee that was bought in Japan and the owner imported it back. The customs agents at the port took the vehicle and gave the owner the option of pushing the button to crush the vehicle. Even though it was a US model and there was no way to convert it to US standards. If you really want to find out if you can import the vehicle first don t go to the dealer. Chances are they won t know and more than likely will give you bad information. Go to your local customs office and ask if they know of any mechanics that convert vehicles to US standards. Then go ask them, they will tell you if it is possible and how much. I think you can even see about shipping it over and having the work done here but the carrier has to be some special bonded agent and you won t get the vehicle until the modifications are done. Point is start with your local customs agent, if they re any good they ll know where to send you for better information. Just don t assume that because there is a US spec version that your version will be easy to convert.

probably meets or exceeds all US requirements but dont even think about bringing it into California. try and get it airfreight to a midwest, lower east coast location (or KY, MI,etc)