A used machine in Japan can look identical in two listings and behave completely differently once it is running — one comes with a full maintenance file and a maker that still stocks parts, the other comes with neither. The difference is invisible in a photograph and expensive to discover after the machine has shipped, which is why the checks below belong before a deposit, not after.
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Maker records: what to ask for before anything else
Ask for the maker’s name, model and serial number, and use them to confirm the machine’s manufacture year and original specification directly against the maker’s own records, not just the seller’s description.
A serial number lets the maker (or, for some machines, an authorised dealer) confirm the year of manufacture, the original configuration, and whether the model has had any factory modifications or recalls. This matters for three separate reasons: it is the starting point for calculating the machine’s age if it will later be imported as used machinery, it tells you whether the specification sheet you were given actually matches this unit, and it is the first sign of whether the maker will still support the machine at all.
| Record | What it confirms | Who can provide it |
|---|---|---|
| Serial number and nameplate | Model, manufacture year, original configuration | Seller, confirmed against the maker |
| Original sales or delivery record | First buyer, installation date | Maker or dealer, if retained |
| Modification history | Any non-standard changes since manufacture | Maker or the machine’s service records |
Hours and maintenance logs: the difference between “used” and “worn”
A machine’s running hours and the completeness of its maintenance log tell you more about its real condition than its age in years.
Ask for the hour meter reading (if fitted) and a maintenance log covering at least the last several major services — what was replaced, when, and by whom. A machine with a full log from an authorised service provider is a different proposition from one with no log at all, even if both show the same age on the nameplate. Where no log exists, treat the machine as unverified rather than assuming it was well maintained, and price the inspection and any near-term parts replacement accordingly.
The test run: what to insist on seeing before you pay
Insist on seeing the machine run under load, or as close to load as the seller’s premises allow, before money changes hands — not a static inspection, and not a promise that it “was working when switched off”.
A static inspection can miss a machine that starts but cannot sustain its rated speed, hold tolerance, or complete a full cycle. Where the seller cannot run the machine at all — because it has already been disconnected, or the buyer cannot travel to Japan — a video of an actual run cycle, timestamped and matched to the serial number in view, is the minimum substitute. A dealer’s written assurance with no run demonstration is the weakest form of evidence and should be priced as such.
| Level of verification | What it confirms | What it misses |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs only | External condition | Whether it runs, and to what standard |
| Written assurance from the dealer | Nothing independently verifiable | Everything about actual performance |
| Video of a run cycle, serial number visible | The machine runs and completes a cycle | Sustained performance over time |
| In-person test run under load | Real running condition | Long-term reliability, still unknown |
Parts availability: check before you buy, not after it breaks
Ask the maker directly whether spare parts are still produced or stocked for this model, and for how much longer, before you buy — not after the first part fails.
Some Japanese makers support older models for decades; others move to a parts-on-request or discontinued status once a model is out of production. Where a part is discontinued, ask whether a compatible part exists from a third party, and whether the maker will confirm compatibility. This is also the point to ask about consumables specific to the machine — belts, seals, tooling — which are often the first parts to be needed and the first to become hard to source once a model is old.
The parts conversation is worth having alongside the installation and training conversation, not separately from it — a machine bought without a clear parts route is a different total cost of ownership from one bought with a spares plan already agreed with the seller. Our note on planning installation and after-sales support for Japanese machinery sets out what else to settle with the seller before the purchase order is signed, including who trains your operators and how a replacement part actually reaches you once the machine is running.
A buyer with no existing relationship in Japan often finds the maker unwilling to answer these questions directly, simply because it has no way to confirm who is asking. This is one of the more concrete reasons to source through a Japan-based trading company that already deals with the maker in Japanese, rather than emailing the maker cold from overseas — the answer to “will you still support this model in five years” tends to be more complete when it comes through an established channel.
Voltage and frequency: Japan is not one electrical standard
Japan runs two different mains frequencies — 50 Hz in the east and 60 Hz in the west, divided roughly along the Fuji River in Shizuoka and the southern border of Niigata Prefecture — so a machine’s electrical rating depends on where in Japan it was running, and needs to be checked against your destination’s supply before you ship it.
This divide dates to the 1890s, when Tokyo imported German 50 Hz generators and Osaka imported American 60 Hz ones, and it has never been unified. A used machine bought from a seller in the Tokyo, Yokohama or Sendai area was most likely running on 50 Hz; one from Osaka, Nagoya or Fukuoka on 60 Hz. Frequency affects motor speed and, on some equipment, output rate and heating performance, so confirm:
- The machine’s rated voltage and frequency, from the nameplate, not from the region alone.
- Your destination country’s supply voltage and frequency.
- Whether the motor, or any frequency-sensitive component, needs a converter, a replacement motor, or is unaffected because it is already a universal or inverter-driven design.
| Region of Japan | Typical mains frequency | Check before shipping to a 50 Hz or 60 Hz destination |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo, Yokohama, Sendai (east) | 50 Hz | Confirm compatibility if destination is 60 Hz |
| Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka (west) | 60 Hz | Confirm compatibility if destination is 50 Hz |
Dismantling and packing: what to agree before the machine leaves its site
Agree in writing who dismantles the machine, to what level, and how it will be packed, before it is disconnected — a machine dismantled without reference drawings is harder and more expensive to reassemble correctly.
Ask the seller or a specialist rigger to photograph and label every connection point during dismantling, keep fasteners and small parts identified by location, and pack control cabinets and sensitive components separately from the main frame. Where the machine will later need a manufacturer’s certificate or an inspection certificate for import — as used machinery imported into Vietnam does — the dismantling record can also support the condition and configuration statements that certificate requires. Our note on importing used Japanese machinery into Vietnam sets out the age limits, certificate routes and customs file that apply once the machine reaches the Vietnamese border.
💬 Ready to move a specific machine and want the dismantling and packing done to a standard that survives the trip? Talk to us about the machine.
The checklist in order
Work through these in sequence, before any deposit is paid.
- Confirm maker, model and serial number, and check them against the maker’s own records.
- Request the maintenance log and hour meter reading.
- See a test run, in person or on video, showing the machine complete a real cycle.
- Ask the maker about spare-parts availability for this model, now and going forward.
- Check voltage and frequency on the nameplate against your destination’s supply.
- Agree dismantling and packing in writing before the machine is disconnected.
💬 Working through this checklist on a real machine right now? Sunsho Trade sources equipment from Japan — send us the nameplate photos and the seller’s documents. Contact us about sourcing from Japan.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I trust a dealer’s written statement that the machine works?
Treat it as the weakest form of evidence. A timestamped video of an actual run cycle, or an in-person test, tells you far more than a written assurance.
2. How do I know if a machine is 50 Hz or 60 Hz?
Check the nameplate rating, not just the region. Japan’s east (including Tokyo) generally runs 50 Hz and the west (including Osaka) runs 60 Hz, but the nameplate is the definitive source.
3. What if the maker no longer stocks parts for this model?
Ask whether a compatible third-party part exists and whether the maker will confirm compatibility. Factor the risk into the price if key parts are already discontinued.
4. Does a full maintenance log affect the machine’s import age?
No — age for import purposes is calculated from the manufacture year, not the maintenance history. The log affects the machine’s real condition and reliability, which is a separate question from its legal age.
5. Who should dismantle a machine before export from Japan?
Whoever does it, agree in writing beforehand that connection points are photographed and labelled, and that fasteners and small parts stay identified by location — this matters for reassembly and for any later certificate the import process requires.
Sources: Kansai Transmission and Distribution, “Voltage and Frequency Differences in Japan”; Kepco, “Voltage and frequency are different in Japan”; The Japan Times, “Japan’s incompatible power grids”. Checked on 25 September 2026.