How do I find the year my Japanese import was built?

Japanese-market cars have a chassis (frame) number such as AGH30-0250000 instead of a 17-character VIN. Japan's carmakers publish, through their association JAMA, the chassis number ranges each model was built with every year from 2015. Enter the number above and we find the range it falls in.

Is the build year the same as the year on the V5C?

Not always. The year on a UK record for an import can come from its first registration in Japan, so a car built late in one year can show the next year. A V5C year earlier than the build year is a reason to check the chassis number on the car.

Why can't you date a car built before 2015?

JAMA's lists start with cars built in 2015. For older cars the export certificate gives the first registration date in Japan, and the model guide gives the years the model was built.

A serial inside a listed range gives the year straight from the list. A serial in a gap between two ranges gives the likely year or years, and we say so. JAMA describes the lists as reference information, not a certificate.

What year was my Japanese car built?

Japan’s carmakers publish the chassis number ranges every model was built with each year. Enter a chassis (frame) number, such as AGH30-0250000, to see which year’s range it falls in.

That’s a chassis code without its serial. Here are the ranges JAMA lists for GJ5FP; add the serial after the hyphen to find the year.

GJ5FP · 5BA-GJ5FP, 6BA-GJ5FP, DBA-GJ5FP · Mazda
Built	Chassis numbers
2015	GJ5FP-200071 to 200806
2016	GJ5FP-200807 to 201105GJ5FP-300003 to 300623
2017	GJ5FP-300344 to 300443GJ5FP-300624 to 301220
2018	GJ5FP-301221 to 301342GJ5FP-400004 to 400875
2019	GJ5FP-400876 to 401199GJ5FP-500001 to 500360GJ5FP-500362 to 500363GJ5FP-500365 to 500369
2020	GJ5FP-500361 to 500687GJ5FP-550001 to 550077GJ5FP-550079 to 550082GJ5FP-550084 to 550088GJ5FP-550090 to 550090
2021	GJ5FP-550078 to 550078GJ5FP-550083 to 550083GJ5FP-550089 to 550089GJ5FP-550091 to 550366
2022	GJ5FP-550367 to 550527GJ5FP-600002 to 600018
2023	GJ5FP-600019 to 600390
2024	GJ5FP-600391 to 600610

From the JAMA chassis number lists: 車台番号一覧表. We keep only the chassis code, serial ranges and year. JAMA calls them reference information, not a certificate.

To compare it with the car’s UK records, run a free check with its registration: we flag a UK year that comes before the build year. The chassis decoder shows what else the number says.

What the lists cover

Cars built in Japan from 2015 to 2025 by Toyota and Lexus, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Subaru, Suzuki, Daihatsu and Mitsubishi: 1,182 chassis codes, including cars built for another brand, such as the Toyota 86 that Subaru builds. Lorries and motorcycles are left out. Cars built before 2015, and cars built outside Japan, aren’t in the lists.

Source: the JAMA chassis number lists: 車台番号一覧表, 2015 to 2025, published by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association for garages and inspection stations. We keep only the chassis code, serial ranges and year, and update them each year when the new list comes out.

Model guides with build years by chassis number

Questions

How do I find the year my Japanese import was built?: Japanese-market cars have a chassis (frame) number such as AGH30-0250000 instead of a 17-character VIN. Japan's carmakers publish, through their association JAMA, the chassis number ranges each model was built with every year from 2015. Enter the number above and we find the range it falls in.
Is the build year the same as the year on the V5C?: Not always. The year on a UK record for an import can come from its first registration in Japan, so a car built late in one year can show the next year. A V5C year earlier than the build year is a reason to check the chassis number on the car.
Why can't you date a car built before 2015?: JAMA's lists start with cars built in 2015. For older cars the export certificate gives the first registration date in Japan, and the model guide gives the years the model was built.
How accurate is it?: A serial inside a listed range gives the year straight from the list. A serial in a gap between two ranges gives the likely year or years, and we say so. JAMA describes the lists as reference information, not a certificate.