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lajzar · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 647 Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

What exactly are the rules on civil tax (ie town taxes), and when are you supposed to start paying it? I'm am officially here as a british citizen, if that makes a difference (not sure if there are any tax agreements between UK and Japan).

I ask because the town I used to live in over a year ago recently sent me a letter asking for payment. of course if I am supposed to pay it I will, but government officials aren't unknown in this country for not knowing the exact rules as they apply to non-Japanese. I recall hearing somewhere that foreigners aren't required to pay certain taxes for the first two years they are in Japan.

Edit: The dates on the tax bill is for a time when I wasn't actually living in the town in question, which seems somewhat peculiar to say the least.

Doglover · Joined: 14 Dec 2004 Posts: 305 Location: Kansai

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

Gotta agree with doglover. Your nationality is of no concern here. If you lived somewhere and they charge you city taxes, you are obliged to pay them. Don't skip out on the responsibility just because you think you can get away with it. It only makes the rest of us look bad.

Also, many foreigners, mostly military, skipped out on paying their cell phone bills, so some phone companies have now decided to charge a 30,000 or 50,000 yen deposit as a security against this risk. Similar thought to skipping out on paying taxes. Don't make things worse for us.

As for the weird date on your tax bill, contact them and let them know. Who knows? There may just be a mistake in their accounting, or they may have post-dated the bill by a month. Of course, if it turns out that you really weren't there for the billing time, dispute the bill.

lajzar · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 647 Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

ok, it seems the point that they are making is that because I was living in that town on the 1st January, I am obliged to pay municipal taxes for the whole of that calendar year in that town, even though I moved out 3 months later.

Does that match your experiences? What do they do about people who emigrate? Are they still obluiged to pay japanese municiapl taxes after they have left Japan? The way the town official told me, it would seem to be yes.

Edit: This also implies that for one town where I lived 8 months, I will pay ZERO municipal tax, as i wasn't there on any January 1st. Does that match reality for you?

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

Yes, it depends on where you live on January 1st. If you move you don't pay taxes in the next area until after a new January 1st residency standard is set.

As for leaving Japan, I'm not entirely certain, but I believe you are expected to make your tax payments in total before you leave, but that you may be able to make a more logical adjustment at the govenrment office.

If you really want to know more about how the tax law works, the Ministry of Finance website has Dnglish editions of its tax laws.