Homologating a car imported from Japan (JDM)
Yes: the EU's own Court of Justice has ruled that a member state can't refuse to register a vehicle solely because it's right-hand drive, so a JDM import is legally registrable across the EU. What actually varies by country is the registration, lighting, speedometer, emissions, and individual-approval requirements layered on top, plus a real per-country appetite for RHD conversion work.
Japan's domestic market runs right-hand drive, unlike continental Europe, which is the one fact that shapes everything else about a JDM import: the EU has settled the legal question (steering side alone isn't grounds for refusal), but the practical conversion and inspection burden still differs meaningfully by destination country.
What's actually different
A European Court of Justice ruling establishes that member states cannot generally refuse vehicle registration solely on the basis of right-hand-drive steering position.
Ireland itself drives on the left, so a JDM import needs no steering-side conversion at all, making it by far the largest practical EU market for JDM vehicles by volume.
Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Austria, Czechia, and Poland can all register RHD vehicles, but each one needs its own additional conversion budget on top of the standard homologation process.
Where this matters most
Ireland needs no steering-side conversion at all. Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Austria, Czechia, and Poland can register RHD vehicles, with an added conversion budget.
Frequently asked
Steering position alone, yes: an EU Court of Justice ruling establishes that a member state can't refuse registration purely because the vehicle is right-hand drive. That doesn't waive the other requirements, lighting, speedometer, emissions, and individual approval still apply the same as for any other non-EU import.
Ireland drives on the left, the same side as Japan, so a JDM vehicle needs no steering-side conversion there at all, which is exactly why it's the largest practical JDM market in the EU by volume.