Japan

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If you have any corrections, additions or remarks to any of the plates or their descriptions, please e-mail me.野田

1962 onwards normal series plate. 大宮 = Omiya. 54 = 4 wheel car 661-2000 cc. Two digit vehicle class codes were issued from 1967 to 1999.

Note the seal covering the left bolt hole. This is to prevent the plate from being moved to another car, because it has to be destroyed in order to reach the bolt. For whatever reason this one escaped destruction.

1962 onwards normal series plate. 沼津 = Numazu. 34 = car over 2000 cc. Two digit vehicle class codes were issued from 1967 to 1999.

This is the much rarer illuminated plate variety, where the characters are made of translucent plastic material. The plate is shown here in normal and back-lit view. This plate type was introduced in 1973.

1962 onwards commercial vehicle plate. 大宮 = Omiya. 11 = truck over 2000 cc. Two digit vehicle class codes were issued from 1967 to 1999.

Commercial vehicles have plates in reversed colors.

1962 onwards large vehicle plate. 足立 = Adachi, Tokyo. 100 = truck over 2000 cc. Three digit vehicle class codes were issued from 1998.

Note that on Japanese plates with less than four serial digits, there is no hyphen before the last two digits, and there is a dot in the place of missing digits. Also note that even though heavy vehicle plates are considerably bigger than normal plates, only the big main digits are in a larger font.

Small vehicle plates

Until 1975, small cars up to 360 cc had motorcycle size plates in the normal colors of white and green. In 1975 the engine size limit was increased from 360 cc to 660 cc, and the plates became normal size, but colored yellow and black. However, the small white and green plates are still issued to small cars built before 1975.

Upper plate: 1962-1975 normal series plate. 沖 = Okinawa. 88 = car up to 360 cc.

Middle plate: 1975 onwards normal series plate. なにわ = Naniwa. 580 = car up to 660 cc.

Lower plate: 1975 onwards commercial vehicle plate. 野田 = Noda. 40 = truck up to 660 cc. Commercial vehicles have plates in reversed colors.

Large motorcyle plates

These come in two varieties for motorcycles above or below 250 cc. In the upper left corner there is an inspection sticker. Cars have that sticker on the windshield.

Upper plate: 1962 onwards motorcycle plate. 大宮 = Omiya. 1 = motorcycle between 126-250 cc.

Lower plate: 1962 onwards motorcycle plate. 相模 = Sagami. The absence of a vehicle class code and the green border indicate a motorcycle above 250 cc.

Small motorcycle plates

These plates are issued by municipalities rather than prefectures. The color of the plate shows the engine size. The actual design of the plates varies by municipality. Bigger cities with longer numbers use wider plates with cut off corners.

White: up to 50 cc. 葉山町 = Hayama-cho (near Tokyo).

Yellow: 51-90 cc. 大阪市淀 = Osaka city, Yodogawa(?) district.

Pink: 91-125 cc. 岩国市 = Iwakuni city (Yamaguchi prefecture). The sticker shows the insurance expiration.

Small special vehicle plate

Green plates are issued by municipalities for small tractors, forklifts, snowmachines, etc.

See also from the Military Forces Abroad page:

United States forces in Japan
1951 plate. Until 1952, US personnel in Japan were issued annual American style plates.

United States forces in Japan
1953-1955 series. 埼 = Saitama prefecture. These plates looked like normal Japanese plates, but the serial letter after the first numeral was western, not Japanese.

United States forces in Japan
1955-1962 series. The absence of the Kanji letters means that the plate is from Tokyo.

United States forces in Japan
Current Series from 1971. 横浜 = Yokohama, 55 = car 551-2000cc. These plates look like normal Japanese plates, but the serial letter at the start of the second line is western, not Japanese. Note the seal covering the left bolt hole. This is to prevent the plate from being moved to another car, because it has to be destroyed in order to reach the bolt. In this case, however, additional holes were drilled into the plate so that it could be mounted onto an American car. That way the seal remained intact.

United States forces in Japan (Okinawa)
Okinawa was administered by the United States until 1972, and then returned back to Japanese control. The United States issued distinctive plates for their personnel. This one is from 1960. E = enlisted man (there was also O for officers and C for civilian employees).

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	1962 onwards normal series plate. 大宮 = Omiya. 54 = 4 wheel car 661-2000 cc. Two digit vehicle class codes were issued from 1967 to 1999. Note the seal covering the left bolt hole. This is to prevent the plate from being moved to another car, because it has to be destroyed in order to reach the bolt. For whatever reason this one escaped destruction.
	1962 onwards normal series plate. 沼津 = Numazu. 34 = car over 2000 cc. Two digit vehicle class codes were issued from 1967 to 1999. This is the much rarer illuminated plate variety, where the characters are made of translucent plastic material. The plate is shown here in normal and back-lit view. This plate type was introduced in 1973.
	1962 onwards commercial vehicle plate. 大宮 = Omiya. 11 = truck over 2000 cc. Two digit vehicle class codes were issued from 1967 to 1999. Commercial vehicles have plates in reversed colors.
	1962 onwards large vehicle plate. 足立 = Adachi, Tokyo. 100 = truck over 2000 cc. Three digit vehicle class codes were issued from 1998. Note that on Japanese plates with less than four serial digits, there is no hyphen before the last two digits, and there is a dot in the place of missing digits. Also note that even though heavy vehicle plates are considerably bigger than normal plates, only the big main digits are in a larger font.
	Small vehicle plates Until 1975, small cars up to 360 cc had motorcycle size plates in the normal colors of white and green. In 1975 the engine size limit was increased from 360 cc to 660 cc, and the plates became normal size, but colored yellow and black. However, the small white and green plates are still issued to small cars built before 1975. Upper plate: 1962-1975 normal series plate. 沖 = Okinawa. 88 = car up to 360 cc. Middle plate: 1975 onwards normal series plate. なにわ = Naniwa. 580 = car up to 660 cc. Lower plate: 1975 onwards commercial vehicle plate. 野田 = Noda. 40 = truck up to 660 cc. Commercial vehicles have plates in reversed colors.
	Large motorcyle plates These come in two varieties for motorcycles above or below 250 cc. In the upper left corner there is an inspection sticker. Cars have that sticker on the windshield. Upper plate: 1962 onwards motorcycle plate. 大宮 = Omiya. 1 = motorcycle between 126-250 cc. Lower plate: 1962 onwards motorcycle plate. 相模 = Sagami. The absence of a vehicle class code and the green border indicate a motorcycle above 250 cc.
	Small motorcycle plates These plates are issued by municipalities rather than prefectures. The color of the plate shows the engine size. The actual design of the plates varies by municipality. Bigger cities with longer numbers use wider plates with cut off corners. White: up to 50 cc. 葉山町 = Hayama-cho (near Tokyo). Yellow: 51-90 cc. 大阪市淀 = Osaka city, Yodogawa(?) district. Pink: 91-125 cc. 岩国市 = Iwakuni city (Yamaguchi prefecture). The sticker shows the insurance expiration.
	Small special vehicle plate Green plates are issued by municipalities for small tractors, forklifts, snowmachines, etc.

	United States forces in Japan 1951 plate. Until 1952, US personnel in Japan were issued annual American style plates.
	United States forces in Japan 1953-1955 series. 埼 = Saitama prefecture. These plates looked like normal Japanese plates, but the serial letter after the first numeral was western, not Japanese.
	United States forces in Japan 1955-1962 series. The absence of the Kanji letters means that the plate is from Tokyo.
	United States forces in Japan Current Series from 1971. 横浜 = Yokohama, 55 = car 551-2000cc. These plates look like normal Japanese plates, but the serial letter at the start of the second line is western, not Japanese. Note the seal covering the left bolt hole. This is to prevent the plate from being moved to another car, because it has to be destroyed in order to reach the bolt. In this case, however, additional holes were drilled into the plate so that it could be mounted onto an American car. That way the seal remained intact.
	United States forces in Japan (Okinawa) Okinawa was administered by the United States until 1972, and then returned back to Japanese control. The United States issued distinctive plates for their personnel. This one is from 1960. E = enlisted man (there was also O for officers and C for civilian employees).