Thanks for the followup sushi.
This is the first time I have heard of using that form except with a ferry. I guess if you want to take the risk of being refused entry, you can try. If you have contacts or previous experience in Japan it would help. A carnet, however, is almost a guarantee of being allowed to enter and ride in Japan.
Strictly speaking, by paying the 5% tax (soon to go up to 10%), it becomes a "permanent" import. Then (by law at least) you must register the bike in Japan, which is very expensive and difficult. Temporary imports are except from needing to register.
In fact, Swiss registered vehicles can't (again, legally) be used in Japan because Switzerland and Japan are signatories to different treaties (1968 vs 1949).
Now I am just quoting the rule books I have seen. If you are lucky, customs and police may make an exception or mistake. But my experience with the typical Japanese bureaucrat is that they want to do everything by the manual. If the manual doesn't exist, they just say "tough luck to you."
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