Job Discussion Forums

Longing for Nippon · Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Posts: 49

I was reading through one of the other posts and someone mentioned the NHK peolpe always asking for money. I remeber being asked to pay for this and trying to wrangle my way out of it by saying NOVA paid for everything! He eventually went away after several embarassing silences.

Are we duty bound to pay this? I also heard that the people who visit you at home dont really work for NHK and are on commision so you can tell them to bug off! Its of no importance to me now living in the UK but wondered where the gaijin stands in this situation. I cant imagine anyone really watches NHK. Baseball and the English translation of the news were the only things I ever watched.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

You really only have a moral obligation to pay. Lots of Japanese people try to avoid paying, too.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

homersimpson · Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 569 Location: Kagoshima

This has been addressed before. I've not been visited for over 2 years now. I just pointed to my Skyperfectv dish and told the dude I didn't watch Japanese televsion programs (which is actually true). He scurried off without his pittance.

Nismo · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 520

I hid my TV for 6 months from the view of the genkan, then my apartment manager told the complex the owner would pay for NHK from here on and we need not worry any longer. Basically - if they don't think you have a TV, they won't pester you.

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

in a Japanese magazine not long ago, it was reported that the money taken from collecting from people door to door goes to their pension fund.

So if you don`t want to pay (like me and many Japanese people), just speak to them in a language other than Japanese. They`ll leave then.