Question Military moving to Japan

Hi everyone! I was told this was the place to come and ask . We're a military family moving to Japan. My daughter is 19 months old and rearfaces in a Marathon. My son is 5 years old, 46 inches tall and about 46 lbs and he's harnessed (very happily, may I add) in a Graco Nautilus.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to get all of us safely in one piece from here to Japan... with a few problems in mind.

Our household goods will leave a month or more before we actually leave here. If I send the seat we'll be without it for that long and I can't afford to buy a seat we'll only use for a month. We may go military transport and I've had serious issues with carseats and flights before. They count the carseats against our baggage and we'll have limited space for things we need to have with us, as it is. After our last move I simply don't trust anyone to move my belongings... half of our things got totally wrecked. There is a lot I'll have to hand carry.

It's priority to me to have the Marathon with us. They'll have to pry it from my cold dead hands if they say my daughter can't ride in it on the plane. I've been told the Nautilus is FAA approved but it's HUGE and I'm sure I'll run into problems. I'm not really comfortable breaking it down to a backless booster for him (and sending the rest in the packout) so that I can pack the base in my suitcase... but that seems like a better solution than nothing at all.

I've heard the carseat laws in Japan aren't really enforced and kids just kinda bounce around cars (OMG!) Will I run into any problems with either of these seats? We're storing our car here and I'm honestly not even sure if we'll buy one there. I have to get settled and figure out how we do with public transport, etc... first.

I've got so much to worry about with this move I hadn't even thought about the carseat situation until the other day when DH brought it up.

We'll be leaving in the next 60 days so it's crunch time! Thank you!

Bumping this up...

You mentioned you might go military transport. Does this mean 'only' military transport and commercial airline is not an option?

hipmaman said:

Bumping this up...

You mentioned you might go military transport. Does this mean 'only' military transport and commercial airline is not an option?

Click to expand...

It means that that military will choose our flights whether they be commercial or military space available and we'll have to take the method they choose. We're not given a choice and from experience it'll probably be a last minute arrangement.

Thanks!

Are your sending an express shipment? If you plan the express for the last minute you may be able to make it work. Since the express shipment goes via plane, it should be there when you do. The best option may be to bring the Nautilus and gate check if you don't want to use it on the plane. Even if military transport, we have always gone via commercial airliner contracted by the military for overseas flights. On military flight we have always been able to gate check our stroller and use DS's seat on the plane (without it counting against our luggage). Although with armrests up, a RF marathon and Nauti may puzzle well on a plane. Or you could do the backless thing and mail the rest to your sponsor or friend there. They could meet you at the airport with it?

Oh, and you fall under different laws car seat wise so you should have no problem using your American seats. They even sell them at the exchange there.

you could try PMg Laura/Neatfreak. She's somewhere over that way and knows quite a bit about cars in that market.

Personally, I would take the MA on the plane and ship the GN 1 m prior (assuming you'll need a seat for the 5yo there), buying a high-back TurboBooster in the US (Canada) for cheap and use that for the 1 month. If you are in the US, you should be able to get one under $50 and sometimes I've seen them for that on sale in Canada too.

If you won't be buying a car in Japan, I'd maybe buy a vest (RideSafer or similar) for that last month, store the GN in the US with your cars, and take only the vest (and the MA obviously) to Japan.

On the plane, I would use the lap-belt for your 5yo, MA for the younger child. I'd have to be heavily medicated to take a GN on a plane.

I was also thinking you should look into something like the Ride Safer Travel Vest for your 5yo if you may not have a car. It saves transporting both seats and would be great to have. (In my experience, if you're in a country where people don't usually use car seats often no one will mention that you need one and then, surprise!) The RSTV doesn't expire either so you could get a lot of use out of it.

Then if you end up getting a car I would be tempted to just order something and have it sent straight there when you know what car you'll have and what will work. I remember last year they had a great sale on Radians for military and Radians are great for travel.

If you bring the MA on the plane make sure to do a search about install trips. Something about flipping the buckle...

I am a military wife stationed in Japan, keep your marathon out for your younger child to use on the plane even if its a military flight they have to let you use it, and send your older child's seat in your express shipment, ours was here within days of our arriving and you probably won't do much traveling in that time anyway. It takes alittle bit to get your license over here and to purchase a car.
Also according to laws here its 4 and under have to be in a carseat. 5 and up do not have to be in any type of a seat or booster.
The vehicles over here are also much smaller so be becareful what you purchase or your seats won't fit, i'm going through that right now with trying to find an infant seat.
I know that you probably want your 5 yr old in a seat as i would.