Japan Exports

Hello ATS'ers,

I have somewhat of an issue that I would like to run past the professionals here in the Japan forum. The issue is regarding Fukushima's effect on a Japanese export.

I am looking at having a car exported from japan, it's on older car that falls under the 25 year importation(for U.S.) rule. So my concern is what effect could the nuclear incident have had on such an object? The region that the car comes from will be unknown, I'm sure that would be a large factor. However my question deals more with the "transfer" or contamination of radiated particles into other objects. Also to maybe broaden out the discussion It would be nice to hear from the experts how this could affect any type of material that may be exported.

So what do we have to look out for? Should I be concerned that a car from japan would have much higher levels of radiation than one from anywhere else(namely the U.S.)?

Extra credit:

Should I drink that bottle of Japanese whiskey that I have in the liquor cabinet? I've long wondered what, if any, contamination may have occurred to the Suntory distillery or shipping channels. I purchased the bottle about a year after the incident, so it was bottled by then but either sitting in a warehouse our going through exportation processes.

a reply to: MisterSpock


Nothing

Honestly I have been to Japan and they are more healthy and happy than us and our fat ares in the west.

Unless the car was next to the reactor you having nothing to fear.


And if the whiskey bottle was sealed then no radioactive particles would have got in it anyway even if in Fukushima.
Id drink it first but I hate Whiskey. Though I get though loads of bottles of Japanese Sake.

Food wise Japan traditionally has very domestic markets, for example, they only export circa 2% of their produced tea if I remember correctly. I would imagine the same for other food items.

For tea, and I drink lots of Match tea from Japan and love the Fish, I stopped fish for obvious reasons, however, tea I get but check which prefecture it is produced in, a lot of it is produced in prefectures that are not directly affected by the "event".

You can always look for other sources, but I think obvious things to avoid are sea foods now, which is a shame because Japan has some of the most awesome seafood dishes.

You just have to do your due diligence, and learn something along the way.

As for manufactured products, well, get a reading from a Geiger counter

You are more likely to die in a car accident than from the radiation of the car, or pollution.

I hope it's an '89 R32 Skyline GT-R.

I can't see a reason to import anything else.

originally posted by: IpoopThere4IAM
I hope it's an '89 R32 Skyline GT-R.

I can't see a reason to import anything else.

They have very advanced erotic "dolls".

I hope the latex doesn't have a shorter lifespan.

Honestly, these people have been bombed TWICE by nuclear bombs, and now this nuclear "event".

They seem to be getting on with it.

We had Chernobyl spread across Europe. We get on with it.

We have not grown three arms or that extra boobie.

We get salmon from Norway or Scotland that is contaminated by pesticides, we get lots of poisons in our food chain and products, we still accept it.

We get injected with toxins by big pharma, we get tested on with chemicals by our own military.

What is different now?

originally posted by: IpoopThere4IAM
I hope it's an '89 R32 Skyline GT-R.

I can't see a reason to import anything else.

Was just a thought I had that passed through my head a few times. The only concern I really had was the car sitting outside and being rained on which I thought was the common way that fallout was transmitted across the mainland.

I know a few of the videos I watched after the event showed most "hotspots" as gutters and rain water runoff areas. So I didn't know if constant exposure of the exterior metal surface, from rain water fallout, could alter the radiation levels of the metal itself.

Now ya talking!!. The sweetest of all cars from japan.
All the best
B. V. Ha reply to: IpoopThere4IAM

a reply to: billyvonhelvete

Hell yeah. '89 was the year Nordschleife got it's first < 8 minute raping.
They were banned from Australian Touring car events, they were simply too dominant.

They certainly earned their nickname, and worldwide recognition as a very potent performance machine.

I can't wait.

a reply to: MisterSpock

Screw Captain Kirk, now you can give the order for warp speed, with your foot.

a reply to: MisterSpock

How do you know the isn't totalled from being submerged in polluted water from the tsunami?

My mom in law lost a brand new Fusion....considered totalled due to being in a flood. They clean these up, they look great, but meanwhile you don't know that about the car.

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: MisterSpock

How do you know the isn't totalled from being submerged in polluted water from the tsunami?

My mom in law lost a brand new Fusion....considered totalled due to being in a flood. They clean these up, they look great, but meanwhile you don't know that about the car.

That's a valid concern, I'll bring that up with the importer. I'll also read up on the way japan issues and brands titles, if they do so.

I know that there are similar risks to buying any vehicle from auction(even in the U.S.). I've bought a lot of vehicles at auction as a non-dealer as well as purchasing for a dealer.

In this case, it really comes down to the importer. That's what I'll really be buying, and I'll shop around and look for recommendations from others so that I can find someone that I would trust to look over the vehicles and buy only the best ones from the auctions.

a reply to: MisterSpock

I will venture to say that if it was very hot--nuke-wise, not car nut wise--that it would be found at the time of import into the US and not allowed into the states.

If that were to happen, you would find yourself and the car, though not together as you desired, in separate pickles.

originally posted by: Aliensun
a reply to: MisterSpock

I will venture to say that if it was very hot--nuke-wise, not car nut wise--that it would be found at the time of import into the US and not allowed into the states.

If that were to happen, you would find yourself and the car, though not together as you desired, in separate pickles.

So basically, what you are saying, is that the government will keep me safe.



Really though, I wonder if they do radiation testing at our ports. If they do, I wonder if they wouldn't just raise acceptable limits like the japanese did(or so I recall reading). Isn't that normally what the govs do, just raise the "safe" level and then move on.

You could always import one from Australia or New Zealand. They go for as low as $10K here. I've even seen some around $8K. No radiation whatsoever. Though if you specifically need an '89 or early '90 model for import compliance, it may prove difficult to source one.

They were sold through Nissan Australia in limited numbers, I believe the retail was about $110k+ at the time, which is quite expensive for 1989.

The majority available here today will be grey imports from Japan, but long before both the tsunami or the reactor failure.

They're a popular car with enthusiasts so it's extremely unlikely you'll find one without modifications.

a reply to: MisterSpock

Any contamination from running it on the roads over there would tend to be concentrated on the tires, wheel wells , front grill, radiator, air filters and floor boards.

Big depends how much and where. You could check by getting a good meter with a 'pancake' wand like a Mr. Inspector, using it to detect any radioactivity. You could also wipe down the cars surfaces with a moist cloth and test that.

I'd be more concerned about your lungs and bones for instance than some damn car. By the way Japanese imports of food and stuffs come in pretty much all the time, are there any rejected products? Not to say they aren't ignoring the possibility. I don't think one has to live in Japan to get a dose…

Fuku Rads in Norway

originally posted by: IpoopThere4IAM
You could always import one from Australia or New Zealand. They go for as low as $10K here. I've even seen some around $8K. No radiation whatsoever. Though if you specifically need an '89 or early '90 model for import compliance, it may prove difficult to source one.

They were sold through Nissan Australia in limited numbers, I believe the retail was about $110k+ at the time, which is quite expensive for 1989.

The majority available here today will be grey imports from Japan, but long before both the tsunami or the reactor failure.

They're a popular car with enthusiasts so it's extremely unlikely you'll find one without modifications.

There are some cars up in canada as well, since they have a very similar importation restriction as the U.S. but theirs is only 20 years.

I'm using an importer, since I do not wish to navigate the tedious legalities and documents necessary to get one imported. More importantly, I recall reading(and it is a point of contention with some), that the 25 year rule contains a specification that exemption is for vehicles being exported from their country of origin/manufacturer. Which would invalidate vehicles imported into either canada or australia. I'm not positive on that, and things like that are why I'd prefer to allow(and pay) a professional importer to handle all those nuances. I'm sure if they could acquire cars of equal quality, cheaper, through different markets then they would be doing so. So I have to assume that the lack of interest, from some importers, of other than japan market cars is for a financial or legal reason.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: MisterSpock

Any contamination from running it on the roads over there would tend to be concentrated on the tires, wheel wells , front grill, radiator, air filters and floor boards.

Big depends how much and where. You could check by getting a good meter with a 'pancake' wand like a Mr. Inspector, using it to detect any radioactivity. You could also wipe down the cars surfaces with a moist cloth and test that.

I'd be more concerned about your lungs and bones for instance than some damn car. By the way Japanese imports of food and stuffs come in pretty much all the time, are there any rejected products? Not to say they aren't ignoring the possibility. I don't think one has to live in Japan to get a dose…

Fuku Rads in Norway

I was more concerned with the "added" risk that the car would impose. I'm sure plenty around the world are seeing effects from this incident(and others).