Would you buy a Japanese-style numberplate for your car?

Numberplates are like power sockets – they’re different depending on where you are in the world.

And it’s also illegal to modify them.

Here in the ACT, the government allows for European designs with longer and slimmer numberplates, as well as other, cheaper ‘slimline’ options. But that’s it. There’s nothing for say, Japan.

At least one local would like that to change.

Rob Taylor owns a Mazda RX-7, in yellow. It’s a special ‘Bathurst R’ edition, one of only 500 released to the Japanese domestic market in 2002 to commemorate the 12-hour race of the same name in Australia, where the iconic rotary-powered sports coupe was victorious for three years in a row from 1992.

It’s in largely original condition, except for the fact he’s had to modify the rear bumper slightly to get the standard blue and white ACT numberplate to fit.

“My car, being a small import, has the Japanese bumpers, and to fit the plates, you have to either modify the car, which many owners are not keen on doing, or bend or modify the numberplate, which is technically illegal,” he said.

“The Japanese-style numberplate is narrower and taller – it’s a completely different shape.”

They typically measure 330 mm wide and 165 mm tall, and are already available in NSW, Queensland, Victoria, and Tasmania. Prices range from $295 to $495.

This weekend, Rob is launching a petition at Canberra 7’s Day, a car show celebrating 45 years of the Mazda RX-7, calling on the ACT Government to match the other states.

“There are quite a few RX-7 owners in Canberra, and if the option were there, they would take it,” he said.

ACT Greens member Johnathan Davis supports the petition, and provided it attracts at least 500 signatures, will present it to the ACT Legislative Assembly later this year.

“It all seems pretty simple to me,” he told Region.

“If this is something the owners of imported Japanese motor vehicles are able to get in other jurisdictions, but not in the ACT, then I argue this puts us behind the eight ball.”

Johnathan said the government should provide appropriately sized numberplates for the ACT’s variety of cars “because owners have paid to register their vehicle and be issued with a licence plate, only to have to physically manipulate that licence plate in many cases”.

The new plates may not be limited to niche sports cars either.

In Japan, cars become more expensive to register each year once they’re over five years old, so many owners choose to upgrade instead. This leaves the used car market flush with low-milage options no one really wants, including electric vehicles (EVs). Companies like IONDNA, based in Fyshwick, then import these EVs (like the Nissan Leaf) and bring them to Canberra buyers for as little as $24,000.

“I’m excited there appears to be a used market for electric vehicles starting,” Mr Davis said.

“If this really picks up speed, then we’re going to be importing even more cars into the territory that will require Japanese licence plates. Why not get the work done now?”

The petition will be available to sign at Canberra 7’s Day, from 10 am to 2 pm on Sunday, 9 July, at CIT Fyshwick, 81 Mildura Street.