車検

I will miss shaken. In Japan, drivers are required to register their cars with the government and pay an annual fee known as a shaken [車検]. Depending on the type of vehicle owned, your shaken needs to be renewed every year or so. For personal cars, it is a bi-annual fee, and for business vehicles it is a yearly fee. A shaken runs between $1,200 to $2,500.



Obtaining a shaken requires you to let the government examine your vehicle. This is done to ensure public safety. For example, if there are any illegal modifications to your car [tinted windows, loud exhaust pipes], they will be noticed and forcibly removed. Vehicles that fail to pass the inspection are forbidden from driving on public roads. I like this system because drivers receive yearly routine maintenance and the roads are kept safe for civilians.