Japanese license plate.

[Wolfman]

Title says it all. I collect license plates as a hobby, and would like to add a Japanese plate to my wall for my collection. TIA.

[Colin]

I'm not sure how authentic you need it to be, but you can order a plate to your specs from http://www.europlates.com - I've got one of their German front plate (text: JNKYRDPWR :D) on my Merkur. It's made of decently thick aluminum with raised lettering and painted with a reflective coating. Pretty high quality.

Colin

[Wolfman]

Yeah, I've heard of them. I want a real deal expired plate that has spent time attached to a vehicle.

[Japan_Car_Exports]

Well, when we deregister vehicles with the Japanese government, we have to surrender both plates in order to get the export certificate. So, you'd be getting an illegal plate (stolen) if you were to get a Japanese one.

[Wolfman]

What do they do with plates left on wrecked vehicles?

[Japan_Car_Exports]

The plates have to be surrendered. The wrecked vehicle has its status changed to salvage or scrap.

[Acerguy]

Darn, I always thought it would be neat to have one of those too! :(

[Don-in-Japan]

I can keep an eye out...sometimes I come across really old plates in the junkyard from abandoned vehicles that have no registration.

[Japan_Car_Exports]

I hate to sound strict, but to take a plate off a car is illegal, even if they have no registration.

[Don-in-Japan]

Even the older vehicles? I am under the understanding once the JCI was up for a certain amount of time (6 months or so), the registeration at the land transportation office was deleted off the computers. Only in the last 10 years or so it was more strict. Military folks used to take them stateside up until the late 80's, but that may have been illegal..?

If I find an old '79 Datsun rusting away in the junkyard with the old plates in the trunk (which I have found in my father-in-laws JY)...what do you think?

[Japan_Car_Exports]

Hey there Don,
Well, we've been told that plates are plates and to remove one is illegal. But, I don't know about the older ones with the older plate numbers. We tend to be "on the level" with the big "G" (government).

[Don-in-Japan]

If I find a set, I'll just ask the city office or LTO and see what they say.. many bars have the old style Okinawa plates from the 70's on the walls. Worst they can say is that I can't have them.

[Japan_Car_Exports]

All the power to you. Go for it and ask. And let me know! We're search around junk yards for plates!

[Don-in-Japan]

I actually found a few sets at the recycling center where I take aluminum. I couldn't find anyone in the area to ask, but the aluminum plates were just laying there waiting to be melted down in the furnace. Next time I'm there, I'll try to buy a few. These were the older types that are extremely rare now.

[Wolfman]

If someone can get them legally, I'd be more than happy to purchase one.