The Japanese auction sheet is the single most important document for an overseas buyer. It is a one-page condition report produced by an independent inspector at the auction yard, and once you can read it, you can buy with the same information a domestic Japanese dealer would have. Domestic buyers don't get to see the car in person before bidding either — everyone reads from the same sheet. This guide decodes every section so you can do the same.
The auction system in 30 seconds
Japanese vehicles change hands at wholesale auctions. The biggest are USS (Used car System Solutions, the largest network), JU (Japan Used car dealer association), TAA (Toyota Auto Auction), CAA (Central Auto Auction), HAA (Honda Auto Auction), and JAA (Japan Auto Auction). Each runs weekly auctions in major cities; vehicles arrive at the auction yard, get inspected, get listed, get auctioned. The auction sheet is the inspector's report.
Sheets share a common structure but vary slightly in formatting and codes between auction houses. USS sheets are the most common and the format we'll use as the reference.
1. The auction grade (the big number)
The headline number is the overall grade. The Japanese auction grading scale runs roughly:
| Grade | Meaning |
|---|---|
| S / 6 | Practically new (under 10,000 km, no faults) |
| 5 | Excellent, well-kept used vehicle |
| 4.5 | Very good, minor wear only |
| 4 | Good — most common grade for clean used cars |
| 3.5 | Average, visible wear, needs minor work |
| 3 | Significant cosmetic wear or repair history |
| 2 | Heavily damaged or worn |
| 1 | Major damage or modification |
| R / RA | Repair history (R = structural, RA = minor) |
| A1, A2, A3 | Accident grades; A3 worst |
| 0 (zero) | Unrated — non-runner or severe damage |
| − (dash) | Unrated, similar to 0 |
For B2B export the realistic working range is 3.5 to 5. Below 3.5, inspect separately before bidding. Above 5 is rare and tends to command premium prices.
The grade is set by the inspector, who works for the auction house, not the seller. There's no incentive to inflate.
2. The body diagram
A small line drawing of the vehicle (front, rear, both sides, roof viewed from above) is annotated with codes for every visible flaw. The codes:
Damage scale
| Code | Meaning | Approximate size |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | Scratch | Pinky finger length |
| A2 | Scratch | Palm length |
| A3 | Scratch | Forearm length |
| A4 | Scratch | Most of the panel |
| B1 | Dent (minor) | Coin-sized |
| B2 | Dent | Tennis-ball sized |
| B3 | Dent (significant) | Larger |
| U1, U2, U3 | Minor dents/dings | Small |
| W1 | Repair, light wave visible from angles | |
| W2 | Repair, wave clearly visible | |
| W3 | Repair, very poor / structural concern | |
| S1 | Rust | |
| C1, C2 | Corrosion | |
| X | Panel needs replacement | |
| XX | Panel already replaced | |
| P | Stone chip / paint chip |
How to read the diagram
A handful of A1 and U1 marks on a 10-year-old car is normal. A W3 on the rear quarter panel is a sign of significant past collision repair. XX on a structural panel (front fender is OK; A-pillar is not) is a red flag.
Pay particular attention to:
- Front and rear bumpers (low-impact damage common)
- Quarter panels (rear-end collision indicator)
- Hood and roof (front collision or hail damage)
- Rocker panels (parking damage or off-road wear)
3. Interior grade
A separate letter grade for cabin condition:
| Grade | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | Excellent — like new |
| B | Good — minor wear, some marks |
| C | Average — visible wear, smaller stains |
| D | Poor — torn seats, smoker odor, significant damage |
Grade B with a few marks is typical of a well-used family car. Grade D usually means torn seats, deep stains, smoker odor, or significant interior damage. Mismatch between exterior and interior grades (e.g., exterior 4.5 with interior C) often signals recent reconditioning of one without the other.
4. The remarks panel
Hand-written or printed Japanese notes around the diagram carry the most context. Common phrases (with translations and what they really mean):
- 修復歴あり (shuufuku-reki ari) — "accident repair history present" — vehicle has been in a collision and repaired
- 修復歴なし (shuufuku-reki nashi) — "no repair history" — clean record (always verify with inspection)
- 走行距離管理システム適合 (sōkō-kyori kanri shisutemu tekigou) — "odometer compliant with mileage management system" — this is the green light: mileage is verified
- 走行管理システム不適合 — "non-compliant" — implies tampering or unverified history; major red flag
- 内装きれい (naisō kirei) — "clean interior"
- 喫煙臭あり (kitsuen-shū ari) — "smoker odor present"
- メーター交換 (meeta koukan) — "odometer replaced" — not the same as mileage rollback; note the date and replacement-mileage figure
- ETCあり / なし — ETC unit present / absent
- ナビあり — "navigation present"
- TV / DVD あり — TV/DVD unit fitted
- アルミ — alloy wheels
- 純正 — original factory parts
- 社外 — aftermarket parts (be cautious — can mean modifications you didn't ask for)
- スタッドレス付 — winter tires included
- キズ多 (kizu ō) — "many scratches" — read the diagram carefully
- 凹み — dent
- 錆あり — rust present
- 下回り錆 — undercarriage rust (significant for older vehicles)
A reputable exporter translates all remarks for you on request. If you are evaluating sheets independently, free OCR + translation tools handle 70% of the content; for the remaining 30%, ask.
5. Mileage notation
The mileage is stated in kilometers, with an asterisk or note if there's any concern about authenticity. Watch for:
- Mileage figures ending in clean round numbers (50,000 / 100,000) — odometer rollback test
- Mileage that's significantly lower than auction-history records — confirmed tampering
- "メーター交換" plus a low number — odometer was replaced; there's a separate "actual mileage at change" record
Red flags to walk away from
- Grade R/RA without inspector explanation in the remarks
- W3 on a structural panel (frame rail, A/B/C pillar)
- Mileage that disagrees with auction history records
- Interior grade D combined with grade 4+ exterior (mismatch suggests recent reconditioning to mask wear)
- "走行管理システム不適合" — odometer non-compliant
- XX on a critical safety panel
- Significant rust on the undercarriage (especially for North America-bound exports where corrosion is heavily inspected)
Bottom line
You don't need to be fluent in Japanese to read an auction sheet. Memorize the grading scale, the diagram codes, and the dozen most common remark phrases — you'll catch 90% of issues before the bid. Ask your exporter for a translated copy for any auction-grade vehicle they recommend; if they refuse, find another exporter.
For our take on the import process, see How it works. To request a sourced vehicle, start a quote.
