If you are interested in cars and automotive vehicles, I bet you have at least seen this once in your life. “JDM”. But do you have any idea what these three letters represent? So let me describe what this is in few minutes.
JDM is basically, “Japan Domestic Market”. Just like that there are terms like JDM, There are few other terms like
- USDM: Stands for U.S. domestic market, and refers to cars and ROMs in North America, including Mexico
- EDM: European domestic market.
- ADM: Stands for Australian domestic market.
- CHDM: Refers to cars that usually stay in China but can be found in Asia or Australia
- MEDM: Stands for Middle Eastern domestic market
Japanese Domestic Market, AKA JDM refers to vehicles and parts made for sale and use in Japan. There can be same vehicle model which is a JDM and a USDM. JDM cars are specifically designed to adhere to the rules and regulations for Japan. As an easy example, In Japan, the vehicles are ridden in the left side lane of a road. Therefore the steering wheel is in the right hand side of a car. So all JDM cars should be Right-hand-drive. Also, JDM cars do not have a vehicle identification number (VIN), but instead have a frame number (chassis number).
Sometimes, Japanese automakers release special, high-performance versions of their cars exclusively for the Japanese market. These models usually come with tuned engines, unique trims, and upgraded features. For example, Nissan’s GT-R and the Toyota Supra were initially exclusive to Japan in their earliest forms.
Japan has a unique car culture built on unique Japanese cars and tuning garages, which i will be covering in another story. Animes like Initial D, Wangan midnight & MF Ghost, Movies like Fast & Furious and games like Need for speed created a massive audience in the world to the Japan cars. People in other countries wanted a piece in Japanese car culture so they wanted to own a car specially designed to Japan. this is where JDM become a global phenomenon.
Nowadays the JDM community has got bigger and bigger. From car meetups, Racing and Drifting events you can attend physically, there are thousands of Facebook groups, online forums, Fan clubs etc. There is a whole culture goes by the name of JDM. It represents a whole other meaning now. JDM has had a lasting impact on car enthusiasts worldwide. Its legacy continues to grow, with fans young and old continuing to seek out, restore, and modify these cars to keep the spirit of JDM alive.