The body number of a Japanese car (for example, JT2BF22KXW0123456 for Toyota RAV4 2018) contains encoded information about year of manufacture, but its location and format depend on the manufacturer and period of assembly. If the 10th character of the VIN for European and American cars always indicates the model year, then for Japanese brands (Mazda, Subaru, Mitsubishi) the date may be hidden in 8th, 9th or even 11th character — or be completely absent from the standard format. For example, at Nissan Skyline R34 1999 in VIN BNR34-000123 the year is encrypted in the model prefix (BNR34), and not in digital code.

The problem is exacerbated by the fact that Japanese factories often use Japanese calendar Showa/Heisei/Reiwa for internal marking, and export versions may be double coded. Yes, Honda Civic 2005 in VIN JHMFA165X5S123456 has 5 in the 10th character (which corresponds to the year 2005 according to the American system), but in Japanese documents the same car may be marked as Heisei 17 (2005 = 1989 + 17). To avoid mistakes when buying a used car from Japan, you need to check right away three sources: VIN, body plate and service book.

VIN structure of Japanese cars: where to look for the release date

Japanese VIN codes (or chassis numbers) consist of 17 characters, but their structure differs from the American standard FMVSS 565. Key Features:

  • 🔹 First 3 characters (WMI) — manufacturer identifier. For example:
    • JT — Toyota (Japan)
    • JN — Nissan
    • JH — Honda or Acura
  • 🔹 4-8 characters (VDS) — description of the model, body, engine. There might be someone hiding here year of manufacture for older models (until 2000s).
  • 🔹 9th character — check digit (not always). U Mitsubishi and Suzuki sometimes used to encode the year.
  • 🔹 10th character - year of manufacture only for export versions (since 1980s). For the Japanese domestic market it could mean anything.
  • 🔹 11th character — factory month code (letter A-L for January-December).

⚠️ Attention: If the 10th character contains 0, it's not always 2010. U Toyota until 2001 0 could mean 1980, and Subaru - 2000th. For accuracy, check with correspondence table below.

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If the VIN does not have the 10th character (short numbers up to 17 characters), look for the production date on the plate under the hood or in the service book. U Daihatsu and Isuzu 1990s year may be specified in Japanese era format (e.g. 3 = 1991).

How to decipher the year of manufacture using the 10th character of the VIN (export models)

For cars officially delivered outside of Japan (USA, Europe, Australia), the 10th character of the VIN corresponds to the standard FMVSS table. However, there are nuances:

Symbol Year of manufacture Examples of models Exceptions
A 1980 or 2010 Toyota Corolla (E70), Nissan Silvia (S13) U Mazda RX-7 (FD3S) A = 1992
B 1981 or 2011 Honda Accord (CA), Mitsubishi Lancer (CJ) For Subaru Impreza (GC8) B = 1998
Y 2000 Toyota Celica (T23), Nissan X-Trail (T30) U Suzuki Jimny (JB23) Y could mean 1999
1-9 2001–2009 Honda CR-V (RD5), Mazda3 (BL) Numbers 1-4 at Isuzu 1980s denotes 1981–1984.

🔍 How to distinguish the 1980s from the 2010s? Look at 8th character of VIN:

  • If this E, F, G - most likely a car from the 1980s.
  • If K, L, M — 2010s.
📊 Which brand of Japanese cars do you check most often?
Toyota
Nissan
Honda
Mitsubishi
Other

Japanese eras in markings: Showa, Heisei, Reiwa

In the Japanese domestic market, dates are often indicated by imperial chronology, where the year is tied to the reign of the emperor. For example:

  • 🗻 Showa Era (, 1926–1989):
    • 60 = 1985 (1926 + 60 - 1)
    • Used for Toyota Crown (S130), Nissan Laurel (C32).
  • 🌸 Heisei Era (, 1989–2019):
    • 3 = 1991 (1989 + 3 - 1)
    • Found on Honda NSX (NA1), Subaru Legacy (BC).
  • 🏯 Reiwa Era (since 2019):
    • 2 = 2020 (2019 + 2 - 1)
    • Used for new Toyota GR Supra (A90), Nissan Z (RZ34).

⚠️ Attention: In Japanese documents, the year may be written as H30.05 (Heisei 30, May) = May 2018 (1989 + 30 - 1). To avoid mistakes, check the conversion table:

Conversion table for Japanese eras to Gregorian calendar

Calculation formula: Gregorian year = Year of the era + Beginning of the era - 1.

Examples:

  • 55.12 = December 1980 (1926 + 55 - 1)
  • 10.4 = April 1998 (1989 + 10 - 1)
  • 5.9 = September 2023 (2019 + 5 - 1)

Where else to look for the release date if the VIN does not help

If the VIN decoding gives conflicting results (for example, JN1TANT31U0123456 for Nissan Almera may indicate both 2001 and 2011), check alternative sources:

  1. Body plate (usually on the driver's door pillar or under the hood):
    • 🔧 Look for inscriptions MFG DATE, (Japanese: "production date").
    • Format: YY.MM or YYYY/MM.
  2. Service book (Service Book):
    • 📖 The first maintenance record contains the date first technical inspection - usually 1-3 months after graduation.
    • U Lexus and Infiniti the date can be specified in the format MM-YY.
  3. Documents in Japanese:
    • 📄 B (shakensho, analogue of PTS) look for the field (“date of first registration”).
    • Registration usually occurs within 1–2 months after graduation.

Check the 10th character of the VIN against the standard table|Check the 8th character of the VIN to clarify the decade|Locate the date plate on the body (MFG DATE)|Check the service book for the first maintenance entry|Decipher the Japanese era (//) in the documents-->

Typical mistakes when determining the year and how to avoid them

Even experienced buyers of used Japanese cars make mistakes that lead to overpaying for a “newer” car or buying a car with a changed VIN. Common pitfalls:

  • 🚗 Fake VIN:
    • On Toyota Land Cruiser 80 and Nissan Patrol often interrupt the 10th character with 3 (1993) on 6 (1996).
    • Check: compare the VIN on the body and in the documents - they must match until the last character.
  • 📅 Confusion with model years:
    • Mazda RX-8 The 2003 model could have been sold as a 2004 model.
    • Solution: see production date, not "model year".
  • 🔢 Unaccounted restylings:
    • Honda Civic The 7th generation (2001–2005) had 3 restylings, but the VIN remained the same.
    • How to tell the difference: check body code (for example, EP3 vs ES9).

⚠️ Attention: If the seller claims that the car newer than 2010, but in the VIN it says 9 (2009) or A (2010), request original documents from Japan (Export Certificate). Counterfeits are often disguised as “special series” or “limited editions”.

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If the date in the VIN and on the body plate differ by more than 3 months, this is a reason for an in-depth check of the car’s history through CarVertical or JEVIC.

Let's look at real VIN codes of Japanese cars with explanations:

  1. Toyota Camry XV40 (2006): 
    VIN: JTNBB46KX63012345

    10th character: 6 → 2006
    

    8th character: B → confirms 2000s
    

    Month: 3 (March)

    ✅ Release date: March 2006.

  2. Nissan GT-R R35 (2012): 
    VIN: JN1AR5EF2CM012345

    10th character: C → 2012
    

    9th character: M → Yokohama plant
    

    Month: 0 (October)

    ⚠️ Error: many people confuse C since 2002, but 8th character E points to the 2010s.

  3. Honda S2000 (1999): 
    VIN: JHMAP114XXT001234

    10th character: X → 1999
    

    Feature: X can mean either 1999 or 2029, but the S2000 was only produced until 2009.

    🔍 Confirmation: the date is indicated in the service book 11.4 (April 1999).

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about the release date of Japanese cars

🔍 How to find out the month of manufacture if the VIN only contains the year?

The month is usually coded in 11th character of VIN (letters A–L for January–December). For example, B = February. If the symbol is missing, look for the month on the body plate (MFG DATE) or in documents ().

❓ Why is the year 2005 in the VIN of one car, but 2004 in the documents?

This is typical for cars produced in end of the calendar year (October–December), but sold as next year's model. For example, Subaru Forester SG5, assembled in November 2004, could have been sold as a 2005 model.

🚨 Can you trust the date in the PTS when buying a Japanese car?

No. The Russian PTS indicates date of first registration with the traffic police, not production. For accuracy please request Export Certificate or check VIN through Japanese databases (JEVIC, CarVertical).

🔧 Where is the year hidden in the VIN? Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution?

U Evo IV–IX (1996–2007) year coded in 9th character:

  • W = 1996 (Evo IV)
  • X = 1997 (Evo V)
  • Y = 1998 (Evo VI)

For Evo X (2007+) use the standard 10th character.

📅 How to convert date in format 256?

This June 2013. Calculation:

  1. Heisei began in 1989.
  2. 25 (era year) + 1989 - 1 = 2013.

Likewise: 3 = 2021