Young Version — April 1998
An archive project by Flock MFGNew issue alerts →
About this issue
238 available scans from Young Version — April 1998, in right-to-left reading order. Japanese OCR and English translation drafts are available throughout. Drafts have not received exhaustive image proofreading; unreadable source remains recorded in the archival data. Capture img018 is absent from the supplied folder; the exact missing printed pages have not been established.
Page 72 — English draft translation
This is the latest kind of customization we may not have thought about before. There are lots of places to modify a car, but if you want to attract attention, exterior tuning is the quickest way. From major changes such as aero parts, wheels, and lowering the ride height to small details, it feels as though every idea has already been tried. It is getting harder to stand out with just a little change. Then we realized there was one thing we had not customized: the license plate, one of the most visible parts of a car. Starting this May, drivers will be able to choose their preferred plate number when registering a car.
Even so, only the four-digit number can be chosen. It would be more fun if we could choose the kana too, but then things might get out of hand. Still, four digits leave plenty of room to play. In fact, the system will begin at only 26 locations nationwide this May. If you live somewhere else, don't give up: all plate numbers are expected to become selectable within a year. Just be patient a little longer. 'Enough with the introduction—tell us how to get one!' All right, let's take a look. It is not especially difficult. Basically, the process is the same as getting an ordinary plate: first go to your nearest transport branch office or vehicle inspection and registration office. Then...
There are two ways to apply. First, the 26 number combinations expected to be especially popular will be assigned by lottery. See the table below for those 26 combinations. If you want one of them, a drawing will be held once a week. It may be a little difficult, but give it a try. Applications are made through a transport office, while the lottery is handled by a reservation center.
I know the optional-number system is coming, but I didn't realize it starts in May—it's almost here. We haven't yet received instructions from head office about how to handle it. Customers already ask whether they will be able to choose a plate number, and many people want a specific number. Until we know how the system will work, it is hard to say much. I worry it could cause confusion, and we are not sure whether we will be able to handle everything when it starts. Honestly, we have not been given the details yet, so for now we are taking it casually. Of course, we want to do everything we can to meet customers' requests. I would like to choose a number I like myself, too.
Captions and page details
To start, the system will launch at 26 locations nationwide...
The optional license-plate number system begins.
A special tuning opportunity you get only when you buy your car.
What people are saying!
...about it.
There has been quite a lot of interest. People ask when it will start and how to apply. We get many inquiries like that. The details, such as what documents will be needed when applying, have not been finalized yet. Applications will be handled here, and we expect the details to be settled and announced around the end of the month.
At the transport office.
What people are saying!
...the table below...
Dealer interview.
Shonan (partial map label).
76
Fukuoka (partial map label).
Fukuoka (partial map label).
1
X
Locations where preferred plate numbers can be selected starting in May.
Transport branch offices and vehicle inspection/registration offices: Sapporo, Miyagi, Iwate, Niigata, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shonan, Chiba, Saitama, Aichi, Owari-Komaki, Nishi-Mikawa, Toyohashi, Shizuoka, Numazu, Hamamatsu, Toyama, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, Hiroshima, Fukuyama, Okayama, Ehime, Fukuoka, and Okinawa.
Sapporo; Miyagi; Iwate.
Niigata (second character).
Niigata (first character).
Hamamatsu (partial label).
Hamamatsu (partial label).
Shinagawa (partial label).
Yokohama (partial label).
Shonan (partial label).
Shonan (partial label).
Chiba; Omiya; Nagoya.
Owari-Komaki.
Mikawa.
Toyohashi (partial place label).
Shizuoka (partial place label).
Toyohashi (partial label).
Shizuoka (partial place label).
Numazu (partial place label).
Hamamatsu (partial place label).
Numazu (partial place label).
Hamamatsu (partial place label).
Toyama (partial place label).
Toyama (partial place label).
Kobe (partial place label).
Osaka (partial place label).
Osaka (partial place label).
Kanagawa or Kobe (partial place label).
Nara (partial place label).
Hiroshima (partial map label).
Nara (partial place label).
Hiroshima (partial map label).
Okayama (partial map label).
Fukuoka (partial map label).
Hiroshima or Okayama (partial map label).
Ehime (partial map label).
Fukuoka (partial map label).
Ehime (partial map label).
Okayama (partial map label).
Fukuoka (partial map label).
Okinawa.
Within a year, it looks like drivers nationwide will be able to choose their preferred plate number!
Popular numbers assigned by lottery.
Popular combinations include 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 111, 222, 333, 1000, and 2000.
Popular combinations: 555, 777, and 888.
/7000/8000
5000
3000
1000/2000/3000/5000
7777/8888
5555
3333
2222
1111/
1234/5678