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2026-09-01
Residential Road Speed Limit Cut to 30km/h!
From September 2026, speed limit on residential roads without center lines drops from 60km/h to 30km/h. Applies to all vehicles for pedestrian safety.
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2026-03-31Traffic
🚗 Vehicle Environmental Performance Tax Abolished! Up to ¥90,000 Savings
Ends March 31, 2026 — Buying a car after April saves money
0%
New Rate
¥9
10K max saved
3%
Old Max Rate
4/1
Day After
❓ What's changing?
The "Environmental Performance Levy" charged on vehicle purchases (which replaced the old acquisition tax) will be fully abolished as of March 31, 2026. This means savings of up to ¥90,000 when buying new or used cars. The levy ranged from 0-3% based on fuel efficiency.
📊 Tax rates being abolished
EVs / Fuel cell vehiclesTax-free (unchanged)
Meets 120% of 2030 targetTax-free → Abolished
Meets 90% of 2030 target1% → Abolished
Meets 60% of 2030 target2% → Abolished
Others3% → Abolished
👥 Who's affected?
- ●Everyone buying a new or used car after April 2026
- ●Foreigners planning to buy a car in Japan (any visa type)
- ●Biggest benefit for those considering gasoline cars
- ●Already-owned vehicles unaffected (one-time purchase tax)
💰 Estimated savings
| Vehicle | Savings |
|---|---|
| Standard gasoline car (¥2M) | ~¥60,000 |
| Luxury/SUV (¥3M) | ~¥90,000 |
| Hybrid (good fuel economy) | ~¥20,000-30,000 |
| Electric vehicle | No change (already tax-free) |
💡 Key points to know
1Buying after April 2026 saves money — no rush to buy by March
2Environmental levy abolished but other vehicle taxes (weight tax, etc.) continue
3Confirm "environmental performance levy" is removed from dealer quotes
4Foreigners registering cars in Japan get the same benefit
Source:
JAMA — Vehicle Tax System🔗 Related Issues
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2026-04-01
Bicycle "Blue Ticket" — All 113 Violations
Effective April 1, 2026. Traffic fine system introduced for bicycles. Smartphone use: ¥12,000, running red lights: ¥6,000.
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2026-04-01
Highway ETC Night Discount Narrowed to 0–4 AM (Effective Price Hike)
Highway late-night ETC discount (30% off) narrowed from 10 PM–6 AM to 12 AM–4 AM. Effectively a price increase for rental car tourists and long-distance drivers.