Buying a car from Japan? We'll look at it for you before you buy.
Photos show less than you think. A listing shows what the camera was pointed at. Panel gaps, paint texture, small dents, smells, and the sound of the engine starting don't come through a screen.
We're based in Japan. We visit the dealer, look at the car in person, and send you what we saw — in plain English, with photos and video. If the car is too far away for a visit, we call the dealer in Japanese and get your questions answered.
The "ninja" is only in the name. We visit openly, with the seller's permission: no hidden cameras, no surveillance, no tracing people or companies.
Two ways we can help
On-Site Vehicle Viewing — ¥55,000
We go to the dealer and look at the car in person: every panel, the paint, the glass, the tyres, the interior and the engine starting. You get at least 40 photos, short videos and a written report in English.
Travel is a flat ¥5,000 within 40 km by road of Kuwana Station (Nagoya Station is about 27 km). Further away, we charge travel by distance and quote it before you pay.
Remote Check — ¥20,000
We phone the dealer in Japanese, ask your questions, ask for the photos you're missing and translate the paperwork they send. The dealer can be anywhere in Japan.
Importers and brokers
Need an independent pair of eyes in Japan for your clients' cars, again and again? One report format, replies within 2 Japanese business days, and monthly invoicing for repeat work.
A report that separates what we saw from what we were told
Every item in our reports is marked as one of four things:
| What it means | |
|---|---|
| Observed | We saw it ourselves |
| Reported | The dealer told us |
| Not verified | We couldn't check it, and we say why |
| Not applicable | It doesn't apply to this car |
So you always know which parts are our own observations and which are someone else's word.
You're not charged until we've seen the car
When you book a viewing, we place a hold on your card through Stripe and take the payment after the visit. If the car is sold, or the dealer says no, before we set off, we release the hold and you pay nothing.
For a Remote Check, we take the payment when we send the report.
What we don't do
- This isn't a mechanical inspection. We don't lift the car, connect diagnostic equipment or test drive.
- We don't tell you whether to buy. The decision is yours.
- We don't buy, sell or ship cars, and we never handle money for the car itself.
- We don't take commissions from dealers or exporters. Our only customer is the person who books us.
Who's behind Ninja Desk Japan
I'm Yoshiaki Sagara, and I'm based in Kuwana, Mie. I've been modifying cars since I was 18 — including an R33 GT-R, a 180SX and two Civics of my own — and today I work in paintless dent repair and detailing, so I'm used to reading paint and panel surfaces closely. I've seen a lot of Japanese sports cars up close.
FAQ
Is this a pre-purchase inspection? Not in the mechanical sense. We look at the car in person and record what we see, with photos, video and the dealer's answers. We don't lift the car, run diagnostics or test drive.
Where are you? In Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, a short train ride from Nagoya. We mainly cover the Tokai region (Aichi, Gifu and Mie). Travel is a flat ¥5,000 within 40 km by road of Kuwana Station, and charged by distance further away. Remote Checks cover all of Japan.
What cars do you look at? Japanese cars, from everyday models to sports cars. We don't take on exotic supercars from non-Japanese makers.
How quickly do you reply? Within 2 Japanese business days. We work by email, so everything is in writing.
Do dealers or exporters pay you? No. We don't take commissions or referral fees from anyone who sells or ships cars.