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Find the car you want by visiting car dealers or auctions in Japan, have a friend do this for you, or search online for a car. Or choose to import a car you already own and keep in Japan. Check your own car or buy a car that conforms to U.S. standards for safety and emissions by checking official lists for vehicles that conform or can be modified to conform to all requirements. Check to see if the vehicle complies with U.S. standards by inspecting or having the vehicle inspected by someone else for two different stickers. Look for a Department of Transportation (DOT) sticker in the doorjamb on the driver's side of the car, and an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sticker on the car's engine. If either of these stickers are missing, you will need to get a letter or certificate from the certified manufacturer of the car that states that the car meets U.S. standards. If you are importing a vehicle that is 25 years old or older, it does not need to conform to EPA and DOT requirements, although you will still need to complete EPA and DOT paperwork in order to clear your vehicle through Customs and Border Protection (CBP). If the vehicle does not meet U.S. safety and emissions standards, you will need to import it through an independent commercial importer (ICI) to perform modifications to make the car EPA compliant, or a registered importer (RI) to make DOT-approved safety modifications, before it is released to you. Note that some vehicles may not be eligible for these importer modifications. Consult the Environmental Protection Agency's website to find an ICI before you begin the process of importing your vehicle. Refer to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to locate an RI. The advantage of using an ICI or an RI is that you may be able to import the vehicle you wish even if it doesn't comply with U.S. standards to begin with. However, the disadvantage is that the fees associated with modifying and importing a car in this way are very high.
Visit Japan or look online. Look for a compliant car. Inspect the vehicle for valid stickers. Get an independent importer for a nonconforming car.