Japanese alloy wheel safety standards ("JWL" is not a brand!)

[Alberto Michelatti]

Hello.

Some time ago I noticed on the alloy wheels of my Toyota Avensis II the logo "JWL", and immediately I thought that it was the brand of a Japanese alloy wheels maker, like Enkei, Piaa or Rays, for example.

After some researches, I found that "JWL" is a logo of the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport that certifies that an alloy wheel have passed the standards, like the European "TÜV", for example.

Japanese alloy wheel safety standards:

Japan Light Alloy Wheel (JWL) Standard for Passenger Cars. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport requires that aluminum wheels for passenger cars (with 3, 5, and 7-number plates) sold in Japan bear the JWL mark. The JWL mark can be displayed on wheels that have passed the standard through a self-certification system.

Similarly, the ministry requires aluminum wheels for trucks and buses (with 1 and 4-number plates) to bear the JWL-T mark. Even if a vehicle is classified as a passenger car (with 3, 5, or 7-number plates), if it comes with LT tires as standard equipment due to its GVW (gross vehicle weight), it must use aluminum wheels bearing the JWL-T mark.

A third-party entity called the Vehicle Inspection Association verifies whether a product meets the requirements prescribed by the JWL or JWL-T standard. This association permits a product to bear a VIA mark if it passes rigorous quality and strength verification tests conducted in accordance with the JWL or JWL-T standard.

Alberto.