Japan used-car exporter eyes big domestic market

JAPANESE used-car exporter Nichibo Japan Trading Co Ltd (Nichocars) is targeting a growing army of second-hand Japanese car buyers in Papua New Guinea.
The company said it wanted to introduce to the local market legitimate Japanese used-car exporters whom Papua New Guinean buyers would trust with their purchases.
James Hanna, consultant and senior adviser to Nichibocars arrived in the country from Japan and met interested importers of used vehicles at Holiday Inn.
Hanna said told The National yesterday: “I’ve been exporting used Japanese vehicles to Papua New Guinea since 1997 when I first started in this industry.
“Unfortunately, there are some people who are taking advantage of people in countries such as PNG to steal their monies and not supply a vehicle or at least supply a vehicle that is not of the same value that the clients paid for.
“My mission is to teach as many people as possible to confidently import their own vehicles from Japan without losing money or be taken for a ride.”
Hanna said the option of buying a very affordable used vehicle direct from Japan via the internet was  very unique and advantageous to all people.
He warned, however, of the risks present now were “too high but unnecessary”.
“I have written several articles in newspapers, magazines, and on websites worldwide … however too many people still get ripped off unsuspectingly,” Hanna said.
“I hope to educate more people these days about simple ways of determining if the exporters they are dealing with are genuine and if the vehicle  they  is   buying is genuine.”
Hanna said importers should ask for details of photos of the vehicle the exporters are displaying if there are only two or three photos available on their websites.
Most credible exporters would show from seven to 15 photos of each of the vehicles they were  selling, he said.
“The second question to ask is for the export certificate (EC).”
Only the owners of the vehicles would have this certificate which was  necessary to export any vehicle out of Japan, Hanna said.
“If you don’t own the vehicle, then you don’t have this certificate.  The EC will also confirm the year of the model, as well as the last recorded mileage of the vehicle at the last date of inspection.”
Hanna said if these could not be provided, then the suppliers were  not genuine.
He said a good number of used cars were imported by PNG buyers in the past.