Guide
Anatomy of a Japanese Auction Sheet: Every Field Explained in Plain English
Short answer: A Japanese auction sheet has five key parts: the overall grade, the interior grade, a body diagram with panel-by-panel damage codes, the recorded mileage, and the inspector's written comments — together an independent snapshot of the car at auction.
A Japanese auction sheet packs a lot of information into a single page, most of it in abbreviated Japanese notation that looks intimidating until you know what each field is actually for. Rather than walking through how to read it top to bottom, this is a field-by-field reference you can come back to whenever a specific part of the sheet doesn't make sense.
The Grade Box
Usually the most prominent element, top-left or top-centre depending on the auction house. Contains a single number or letter — 6, 5, 4.5, 4, 3.5, 3, 2, R, or occasionally a dash — representing the inspector's overall condition assessment. This is a summary figure, not a full description, and it's meant to be read alongside the rest of the sheet rather than in isolation.
The Interior Grade
A separate letter grade, typically A through E, assessing the cabin: seats, dash, carpets, smell, and general wear. Buyers frequently overlook this field because it sits apart from the main grade, but a strong exterior grade paired with a poor interior grade is common on higher-mileage vehicles and worth factoring into your decision.
The Diagram
A simple outline of the car, viewed from above and sometimes from the side, with codes marked on specific panels — A for scratch, U for dent, W for repair, and a longer list beyond those three. This is where panel-specific damage is recorded, and it's the section most likely to reveal something the grade number alone doesn't convey.
The Mileage Field
Recorded in kilometres, based on the odometer reading at the time of inspection. This figure is a frequent target for alteration between inspection and sale, which is exactly why matching the sheet against auction house records — rather than trusting a supplied copy — matters so much.
The Equipment/Options Row
A line of codes or checkboxes indicating factory-fitted equipment: navigation, sunroof, alloy wheels, and similar. Useful for confirming a car actually has the features advertised, since equipment lists supplied by sellers don't always match what the auction sheet records.
The Inspector's Comments
A free-text section, usually running along the bottom or side of the sheet, in handwritten or stamped Japanese shorthand. This is where an inspector notes things too specific for the coded fields — non-original panels, unusual smells, aftermarket parts, or a note that a repair, while well executed, was still a repair. Buyers who skip this section are working from an incomplete picture regardless of how good the numeric grade looks.
The Auction House Stamp and Lot Details
Identifies which auction house issued the sheet (USS, TAA, JU, and others each use their own layout, described in more detail in our guide to auction house differences) along with the sale date and lot number. These details are what a genuine verification check matches against source records.
Putting the Fields Together
No single field on a Japanese auction sheet tells the whole story on its own — the grade summarises, the diagram localises, the comments qualify, and the mileage anchors everything in time. Reading a sheet well means treating it as a set of cross-referenced fields rather than scanning for one headline number.
Ready to check a car? Pull the original Japanese auction sheet and your Australian PPSR & NEVDIS check in one report — look up the auction sheet.