Issue #11 · 7, 2026
The 25 Year Rule
Published September 7, 2026
Japanese Auto News
Auction prices held near year highs through mid-2026 despite rising domestic trade-in supply, while freight routes shifted and Gulf-linked shipping refused to settle. USS average contracted price sat at ¥1.32M in June.
A curated collection of R34 GT-Rs sold for a combined $1.5 million—averaging $300K per car—below seller expectations, suggesting the market may be finding its floor now that U.S. legality is no longer speculative.
New procedures align automobile eligibility determinations with medium- and heavy-duty vehicle timelines, valid for imports from December 2026 through November 2027. Importers may begin submissions immediately.
Yen Snapshot
¥1 JPY =
$0.0064
USD · as of Sep 7, 2026
Live rate as of Sep 7, 2026. Don't forget to factor the 27.5% import duty into your landed cost — use the calculator for your exact numbers.
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Landed cost estimates include shipping (~$1,500), US customs duty (27.5%), broker fees, and port handling. Actual costs vary. Use the calculator for your exact numbers →
September 2001: The Calendar Line That Moves Every Week
Month-by-month eligibility is easy in theory but harder in practice. If you're chasing a late-2001 build date, September marks the moment cars manufactured that month become legally importable. No guesswork—just the export certificate date and a calendar. Here are three September 2001–eligible chassis worth watching.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII (CT9A)
First Evo on the Cedia platform. Stiffened chassis, 280 PS 4G63 turbo four, Active Yaw Control, and genuine all-surface capability. The VII represented a sharp break from the VI's formula—and brought Mitsubishi back to rally dominance.
Honda Integra Type R (DC5)
K20A with an 8,400 rpm redline, helical LSD, and Honda's obsessive approach to weight distribution. The DC5 traded the EK9's rawness for refinement, but the result was still 220 naturally aspirated horsepower and one of the best front-drive chassis ever made.
Nissan Silvia S15 Spec-R (S15)
SR20DET in its final, most refined iteration: 250 PS, 6-speed Getrag gearbox, helical LSD, and the cleanest proportions Nissan ever wrapped around a turbo four. Never sold in the U.S., never coming back, and the drift tax is real.
Check the Export Certificate, Not the Model Year
A car listed as a 2001 model may have been built in December 2000—or November 2001. For 25-year eligibility, only the manufacture date printed on the Japanese export certificate matters. September 2001 cars become legal in September 2026, not January.
- →Request the export certificate (or auction sheet with build date) before bidding
- →Verify month and year of manufacture—not the model year designation
- →Plan your purchase timeline around the actual build month to avoid customs delays
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