Job Discussion Forums

tomjones7 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 44

I think I (or my employer) may have forgotten to pay some of my taxes. This may have been : some salary tax (their fault) and some local tax (mine).
My question is : how likely are they to have a record of this? If I apply to work again in Japan, will this rear its ugly head ?

Iwantmyrightsnow · Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 202

Hard to give a definitie answer. I have had friends who were hounded for the city tax and ended up being deducted from their bank account. Then I know others who haven't paid at all in 10 years. I think it depends who long you live in the one place.

If you think you will ever want to apply for permanent residency it might be a good idea to put your city taxes in order at least. Income tax is your employers responsibility maily.

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Very well said.

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Very well said.

Mike L. · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 519

If you approach or call the city hall, where you owe the taxes, you can make arrangments to pay in installments of say 10,000 yen a month depending upon how much you owe I imagine. It's called "bunkastubarai" I think.

With so many Jpaanese skipping out on their taxes, pension and health care premiums I think you'll find they are quite accomodating.

Just be ready witht he tax number on an old sheet from that city and they cna set it up for you.

I was on JET and have yet to collect my pension refund so I'm fairly dillgent in paying my city tax and health care.

I'm not entirely, sure but I imagine there is some relationship betwen all of these payments.

tomjones7 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 44

Thanks all for the info. Specifically, I was wondering how any unpaid taxes could potentially affect a work visa application from overseas. I am back home now and thinking of coming back to Japan. So I was wondering whether this would show up, like some kind of red flag, during the application process, OR, whether it wouldn't be noticed at that stage ?
Thanks again, I appreciate the input.

Iwantmyrightsnow · Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 202

tomjones7 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 44

Of course you are right. Thing was, I was getting local tax bills for the 2nd year, but then they stopped coming. Maybe my employer was doing something dodgy and I wasn't on file ? Who knows? I would prefer to pay. Maybe if i go back I will 'fess up. I don't want to be a tax exile, again !

inkansai · Joined: 18 Jan 2005 Posts: 39

If you don't earn more than 1,600,000 yen in a financial year you usually receive city tax bills directly from City Office. If you earn more, your employer is probably deducting it from your salary (this could explain why the bills have stopped). My employer deducts my city tax and they also give me a form every June showing the amount to be deducted for the next twelve months. There should be a seperate box on your payslip showing the amount withheld for city tax.

Iwantmyrightsnow · Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 202

tomjones7 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 44

More dodgy dealings! I didn't know about employers deducting city taxes. I think i was above 1,600,000 at the relevant time. Then maybe below the following (3rd) tax year. But who knows, other than that the city tax bills were coming almost every month or two in the 2nd year, then it went all quiet on the western front.
Incidentally, they used to send me 2 tax bills (i.e the 1st, then a 2nd a few days later). They seemed to be the same bill, with perhaps a minute difference, a few yen or so. I only paid the 1st one, then waited to see if they followed up for the 2nd, but I never heard back about the 2nd bill. So I continued this practice for the rest of the year. I have subsequently heard that many people pay both bills, later find they have been overcharged (i.e. double!) and then have a hell of a time getting it back from city hall..