# Japan Used Car Export Statistics: August 2026 Rebound
> Japan exported 145,180 used cars in August 2026, up 3.2% monthly. Mongolia led the hybrid ranking ahead of New Zealand.
- Published: 2026-10-19
- Updated: 2026-10-19
- Category: Insights
- Author: Jayson Mays, Senior Automotive Sales Professional
- Source: https://carlio.app/blog/japan-used-car-export-statistics-august-2026
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Japan used car export statistics for August 2026 indicate an increase in total shipments. Japan exported **145,180 vehicles** in August 2026, according to the compilation of ordinary trade statistics published by Japan Used Motor Vehicle.
The increase in the monthly total is distinct from the hybrid destination ranking. In the August 2026 hybrid table, Mongolia ranked first with **5,290 vehicles** and New Zealand ranked second with **4,021 vehicles**.
The distinction matters because the monthly total describes overall market volume while the hybrid table describes one segment by destination. The ¥200,000 small-value cargo exclusion is also a general statistical coverage rule and not a per-vehicle price cutoff.
> **Data note:** Monthly figures cover August 2026 with comparisons to July 2026 and August 2025. The cumulative figure covers January through August 2026 on a year-to-date basis.
## Japan’s Used-Car Exports In August 2026
Total exports increased on both a monthly and an annual basis. August 2026 exports of **145,180 vehicles** exceeded July 2026 exports of **140,668 vehicles** by **4,512 vehicles**, or **3.2%**. The same total exceeded August 2025 exports of **135,437 vehicles** by **9,743 vehicles**, or **7.2%**.
The monthly comparison shows higher shipment volume than the July level. The annual comparison shows higher shipment volume than in the same month of the prior year. Together, the two comparisons show that August 2026 was higher than both July 2026 and August 2025.
The cumulative total provides additional context for the monthly result. Exports from January through August 2026 totaled **1,142,525 vehicles** on a year-to-date basis. The monthly result therefore occurred within a larger annual flow of more than one million units.
## What The Monthly Totals Show
The table below summarises the three monthly observations. The chart compares the three monthly periods of equal length.
| Period | Exports | Change |
| ----------- | -------------------: | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| August 2025 | **135,437 vehicles** | Base year for annual comparison |
| July 2026 | **140,668 vehicles** | Base month for monthly comparison |
| August 2026 | **145,180 vehicles** | Up **4,512 vehicles (3.2%)** month on month; up **9,743 vehicles (7.2%)** year on year |
| Period | Japan used-car exports |
| ------- | ---------------------: |
| 2025-08 | 135437 |
| 2026-07 | 140668 |
| 2026-08 | 145180 |
Exports from January through August 2026 totaled **1,142,525 vehicles** on a year-to-date basis. The cumulative figure covers eight months, while each monthly figure covers one month.
## New Zealand Ranks Second In The Hybrid Table
The hybrid destination table for August 2026 places Mongolia first and New Zealand second. Mongolia recorded **5,290 vehicles**, while New Zealand recorded **4,021 vehicles**. The difference was **1,269 vehicles** in favour of Mongolia.
The ranking continues with the United Kingdom in third place with **1,817 vehicles**, Tanzania in fourth place with **1,804 vehicles**, and Ireland in fifth place with **1,663 vehicles**.
The table and chart below summarise the top five destinations in this category. All five observations refer to the same month and the same category definition, so the comparison is on a consistent basis.
| Rank | Destination | August 2026 hybrid exports |
| ---: | -------------- | -------------------------: |
| 1 | Mongolia | **5,290 vehicles** |
| 2 | New Zealand | **4,021 vehicles** |
| 3 | United Kingdom | **1,817 vehicles** |
| 4 | Tanzania | **1,804 vehicles** |
| 5 | Ireland | **1,663 vehicles** |
| Destination | Vehicles |
| ----------------- | -------: |
| 1. Mongolia | 5290 |
| 2. New Zealand | 4021 |
| 3. United Kingdom | 1817 |
| 4. Tanzania | 1804 |
| 5. Ireland | 1663 |
## How To Interpret The Hybrid Category
JUMV states that its used-car export tables are derived from e-Stat ordinary trade statistics. The figures are therefore a compilation based on official trade data, not a direct release by the Japan Used Motor Vehicle Exporters Association as a separate source.
JUMV labels the monthly destination ranking as hybrid and states that it is based on ordinary trade statistics. The accessible table does not disclose the exact statistical codes or aggregation method used to define the hybrid category. The precise scope of included powertrains, engine sizes, or customs classifications is therefore not visible from the table alone.
For practical purposes, the counts are best treated as JUMV hybrid-category totals for August 2026. They should not be described as separately verified Ministry of Finance used-hybrid totals. Readers comparing the hybrid ranking with total exports should also note that the hybrid table covers a defined segment, while the monthly total of **145,180 vehicles** covers all used-car exports.
## What The ¥200,000 Threshold Means
Japan Ministry of Finance trade statistics exclude small-value cargo worth ¥200,000 or less. This exclusion is a general statistical coverage rule. It is not a used-car specific rule and it is not a hybrid specific price threshold.
The Ministry states that the statistics are compiled from export and import declarations. The stated exclusion therefore applies to trade statistics that include exports, not only to imports. The rule determines whether low-value cargo enters the statistical compilation at all.
The general trade-statistics page does not specify whether the ¥200,000 threshold is measured per shipment, per item, or per vehicle. Separate Customs export-declaration instructions refer to the price of one item being ¥200,000 or less and describe cases in which two or more such items in one declaration may be grouped. Those instructions do not establish a per-shipment or per-vehicle valuation rule for the statistics exclusion.
The sources reviewed provide no count of used vehicles excluded under this rule, no estimate of its effect on used-vehicle totals, and no evidence that the effect is material. The effect on used-vehicle counts therefore cannot be established or quantified from these sources. Readers should treat the threshold as background on statistical coverage rather than as an adjustment to apply to the August totals.
## Sources
* [Japan Used Motor Vehicle (JUMV) — 2026年に日本から輸出された中古車の台数 – まとめ](https://jumv.net/basic_knowledge_usedcar_export/export_statistics/statistics)
* [Japan Used Motor Vehicle (JUMV) — 世界中に輸出される日本の中古車](https://jumv.net/)
* [Ministry of Finance, Customs and Tariff Bureau — 利用上の注意](https://www.customs.go.jp/toukei/sankou/howto/riyou.htm)
* [Ministry of Finance, Customs and Tariff Bureau — 別紙２－９ 新旧対照表](https://www.customs.go.jp/kaisei/tsutatsu/2024tsutatsu/2024tsutatsu599/annex2-9.pdf)
*Coverage: monthly figures for August 2026 and cumulative figures for January through August 2026.*