Job Discussion Forums

[cafebleu]

Recently the NHK man has started a new trend with me and my partner. He collected the Jan and Feb fee in January, and then told me he would be back in February to collect March and April.

I object to this - it is too early and I don't see why I should pay the NHK fee about 2 and a half to 3 months early. Can I refuse and tell him I will not pay so early? What do you think is a reasonable interval between fee collection?

God I loathe these NHK scam artists.

[guest of Japan]

It would seem that he has found you and your partner as an effective way to fill his quota. Just tell him that you will pay for March and April in March and April and not before.

I personally feign igorance when the NHK man visits. The one time I made a mistake and produced adaquate Japanese I told him that I didn't have any money at that time. He said he'd be back the next day. The next day I made it a point not to be home. I was actually going to pay, but I hadn't realized just how much money they wanted and the frequency in which they wanted it. I refuse to pay such money. Our taxes pay for NHK, so I see no reason to get double billed. And they make money from advertising.

[Brooks]

when I pay for NHK I don`t worry about being prompt.
It is not like paying for electricity, water, sweage, or gas. With those bills I do try to pay by the due date.

[azarashi sushi]

I changed apartments about 6 months ago and so managed to give the NHK people the slip. I'm determined not to let them get me this time... I foolishly answered the door once when I wasn't expecting anyone... and it turned out to be NHK, just as I was watching TV! When I used to apy NHK I was like Brooks... They only got it when I was good and ready. The NHK guys in Fukuoka sound a bit Nazi like though... Actually coming to your apartment for every payment. In my case, they came once and then the rest the time mailed me a bill. Maybe they were scared off by the filthy look I gave the original guy.

[Brooks]

in Kanagawa they aren`t bad. Once I didn`t pay for awhile and I got a little note. I paid later.
I think I am being nice to pay them. I think they should be treated like PBS in the USA: if we watch it, it is nice of us to pay.

I think the NHK guy came by because the NHK sticker was left on my front door by the previous tenant.

When the NHK guy guy knocked on my door last fall, I admit that I was relieved it wasn`t a Jehovah Witness. With NHK, I pay and I get something.
With the Jehovah Witnesses I get interrupted by someone who wants to talk about GOD with me. No thanks.
I find it offensive that they have a list of gaijins and that they went around knocking on their doors. I wonder where they got that list from.

[foster]

In Imazato in Osaka, I only had one once and we talked through the apartment phone rather than me opening the door. All I understood was TV and I just kept saying no no no....

[Sam Adams]

The NHK came to my door yesterday. I just gave him a blank look for 2 minutes, and then finally told him I only use my television to watch videos.
It worked.

[cafebleu]

When I lived in the countryside, as soon as I moved from one house to another (not in the same area but not so far), an NHK man came hassling me for money. I believe the rental agent tipped him off, and I believe that is a practice here in Kyushu at least.

It sickens me, the deceit of it all to force people to pay money that is actually not required by law. In the UK it makes me mad but at least it is written in stone and you know you have to pay and there is a penalty for not paying.

What I find the worst is that other countries` public broadcasting outlets actually believe the lies of NHK that it is funded voluntarily. It is not - we are told we have to pay and we are threatened by continual visits and outstanding bills if we do not pay or even if we do not sign up. I know people in Kyushu who have never paid and they get bills mailed to them although they never gave their name and address to the NHK man who came around.

Yet I persistently read this propoganda that NHK is `voluntary`. If it were, we would not be told we `Have` to pay it. Ayway, my partner and I have agreed on a solution - we will unplug the tv, put it away and say we don`t have one anymore to that little b--------- who comes around. I advise anybody else who resents NHK and its scam to do the same. I don`t watch NHK so I have no compunction about doing this. The solution!

[chixdiggit]

He came by my place(Kanagawa) last week as well. I politely told him I watch Skyperfect TV only and if at some point my japanese skills allow me to understand NHK, I will begin to pay. He proceeded to tell me it's a rule in Japan that everyone pays whether they watch it or not. I asked him to clarify as to whether it was a rule or a law. He replied, "Rule" and I replied "good-bye".

[Mike L.]

Ever notice they talk about being a "public broadcaster" on their website yet there seems to be almost no way for the public to contact them?

I'd like to ask some questions about their Disney like programming and pupet like subsrviance to probably the most useless government in the G7?

I find it ironic that NHK criticizes America's role in Iraq but not Japan's even though a majority of the public is against the dispatch of the SDF.

If anyone knows any contact info please let me know.

I've moved and he hasn't come around yet!

[rcn]

I also made he mistake of answering the door and ended up paying as the NHK rep showed me a pamphlet(English) that stated "anyone owning a tv is required by law to pay". So, I started to pay for a few months until I realized this whole NHK thing is just a scam. To rid myself of this problem, I got a friend to call NHK and tell them that I didn't own a tv. NHK said that I must write a letter to them stating this. I asked my Japanese friend to write one for me and ever since I've been NHK hassle free!

[easyasabc]

I've been here 7 years in three different cities and never had to pay. I've never even seen an NHK man.

Wonder how I got that lucky.

[West Brom]

There's a simple solution.
Just shut the door and refuse to pay.
There's nothing at all they can do about it.