Japan is a country in Eastern Asia. The country uses the CERO rating system to rate all Grand Theft Auto releases, with so far all of the series being rated Z (18+). Japan received Grand Theft Auto releases at a much later time, as it has taken a long time for Rockstar Games to localize them, which is done by Rockstar Japan. The GTA games are published in Japan mainly by Capcom which had released the following games:
- Grand Theft Auto III (September 25, 2003)
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (May 20, 2004)
- Grand Theft Auto Double Pack (July 29, 2004 Xbox version, February 27, 2007 PS2 version)
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (January 25, 2007)
- Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (July 26, 2007 PSP version, September 6, 2007 PS2 version)
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (December 6, 2007)
- Grand Theft Auto IV (October 10, 2008)
- Grand Theft Auto V (October 10, 2013)
CyberFront has released recent GTA games:
- Grand Theft Auto IV (March 20, 2009)
- Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (September 24, 2009)
Game World
2D Universe
- The Yakuza, a real-life criminal organization based in Japan, is featured in Grand Theft Auto 2.
- Also in GTA 2, the host of Funami FM is a Japanese woman named Teriyaki-chan.
- The place Funabashi in GTA 2 is in Chiba prefecture.
3D Universe
- The Yakuza also appears in GTA III and GTA Liberty City Stories. Its members Asuka Kasen, Kenji Kasen, Kazuki Kasen and his wife Toshiko Kasen, and Asuka's niece Yuka are all of Japanese origin.
- The country capital, Tokyo , is mentioned in the Liberty Tree article Yakuza Operating With Impunity.
- The Kuruma is a Japanese car, since it has some visual cues from Japanese sedans and 'kuruma' (くるま or 車) means 'car' in Japanese.
- Many other cars in the 3D Universe are also inspired by Japanese cars, however, the Kuruma is the only one with a Japanese name.
- There are also many Japanese manufacturers in the 3D Universe, such as Kakagawa appliances and the Maibatsu vehicles (Based on Mitsubishi).
- The game Space Monkey and its sequel Space Monkey 7 was originated in Japan, according to radio advertisement.
- Sushi Man is a Japanese sushi shop appears in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
HD Universe
- With the addition of Maibatsu and the previously mentioned brands in the 3D Universe which reappear in the HD Universe, Japan is also responsible for the creation of the automakers Karin (Based on Toyota), Dinka (Based on Honda), Annis (Based on Nissan), Emperor (Based on Lexus), Fathom (Based on Infiniti) and Nagasaki (Based on Kawasaki).
- The Warrener, while manufactured by the Swedish car manufacturer Vulcar, bears its overall, Japanese style to it, specifically the 1969 Nissan Skyline C10.
- The car manufacturer Nagasaki is the name of a Japanese city, and a Japanese prefecture that was hit by a nuclear bomb on August 9, 1945.
- A.M. Beer is a brand of Japanese beer (Based on Asahi Beer).
- Shon Kikuchi is of Japanese origin.
- The TV shows Princess Robot Bubblegum and Full Robo Hickey Hurry Mech Battlesuit are parodies of Japanese animes.
- The Uptown Riders, based on the real life Ruff Ryders, mostly ride Japanese bikes.
- The Elegy RH8 is metaphorically described as having been "born in the fires of Mt. Fuji".
- Mark Fostenburg's golf clubs are made in Japan.
- Nutsaki is a Japanese-like restaurant.
- Gozushi is also a Japanese restaurant, named for one of Japan's most famous film series, Godzilla.
- The San Andreas Flight School Update added a Japan flag Chute Bag in GTA V.
- The Japan liveries is one of the liveries on the Cheval Marshall.
- There is also a Japanese flag available on the roof of the Dukes.