| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
uticsperkins2004
Joined: 12 Apr 2004
Posts: 30
Location: Moriya, Ibaraki-ken
|
 Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 8:22 am Post subject: Japanese Inhabitant Tax |
 |
|
| I had training with a new company today and was informed about Inhabitant Tax which is based both on my last years earnings and the size of the town/city in which I will be living. It said in my information received from my company that this amount is typically 50000-80000Yen per year. I have heard that many people do not pay this, and never get caught for not paying and have not paid the tax in years. Is there any validity to this, and what are the consequences of not paying? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 9:52 am Post subject: Re: Japanese Inhabitant Tax |
|
|
| uticsperkins2004 wrote: |
| I had training with a new company today and was informed about Inhabitant Tax which is based both on my last years earnings and the size of the town/city in which I will be living. It said in my information received from my company that this amount is typically 50000-80000Yen per year. I have heard that many people do not pay this, and never get caught for not paying and have not paid the tax in years. Is there any validity to this, and what are the consequences of not paying? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! |
Its called a resident tax or "shiminzei" in Japan. It is based on your previous years income, and some employers take it out in your first year in Japan, for the next year. It covers things such as public services such as ambulance, fire, garbage collection, and generally the smaller the area you live in the more expensive it gets as you have less people to pay for the same services as a larger area.
Im sure people do avoid it, but in Japan you can run but not hide as its done through the tax office and the city hall. Even if you try and move prefectures it will catch up with you as the information is passed on to the local authorities.
Pay the damn thing, its only about 4% of your income and some people pay far more than you. Mine was about 200,000 yen last year. People avoid paying NHK but not paying for public services simply means you are not pulling your weight, especially if you need to call an ambulance. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
homersimpson
Joined: 14 Feb 2003
Posts: 569
Location: Kagoshima
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 12:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
Im sure people do avoid it, but in Japan you can run but not hide as its done through the tax office and the city hall. Even if you try and move prefectures it will catch up with you as the information is passed on to the local authorities.
Pay the damn thing, its only about 4% of your income and some people pay far more than you. Mine was about 200,000 yen last year. People avoid paying NHK but not paying for public services simply means you are not pulling your weight, especially if you need to call an ambulance. |
If you move prefectures no one will have any idea where you are or any tax debts you may have. Ex. you live in some town in Akita for a year and then move to Okinawa, the only official thing that will happen is the writing of your new address on the back of your gaijin card.
As for not paying NHK that is also a public service, so choosing to pay one public service and not another is simply selective reasoning. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
canuck
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 1921
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 1:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Just pay the tax.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 2:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| homersimpson wrote: |
[
As for not paying NHK that is also a public service, so choosing to pay one public service and not another is simply selective reasoning. |
I have never heard of people saying to the city office that they will refuse to pay city tax because rubbish is not collected on time or the lawns arent mowed or the mayor is arrested for corruption.
NHK has sufferered quite a loss of income through corporate scandals and has lost a lot of credibility. Many Japanese are now refusing to pay the NHK as result. the NHK fee is more of a levy or a licensing fee than a tax. Payment for services such as hospitals, ambulances police doesnt compare with paying one's TV fee. Yes NHK is compulsory but many people do get away with not paying if they dont watch it. You have a moral, if not legal obligation to pay for public services provided by the city. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
guest of Japan
Joined: 28 Feb 2003
Posts: 1601
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 9:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
PaulH wrote:
| Quote: |
| Its called a resident tax or "shiminzei" in Japan. It is based on your previous years income, and some employers take it out in your first year in Japan, for the next year. |
What if your employer doesn't declare this income? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| guest of Japan wrote: |
PaulH wrote:
| Quote: |
| Its called a resident tax or "shiminzei" in Japan. It is based on your previous years income, and some employers take it out in your first year in Japan, for the next year. |
What if your employer doesn't declare this income? |
You mean if you dont pay income tax or he doesnt tax resident tax out of your salary?
The tax is due in the second year and you will be sent a payment form by the city office, so you can either pay at city office by yourself when the form comes, or as I mentioned some employers will take it out of your salary before it's due.
One way or another you will end up paying for it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
guest of Japan
Joined: 28 Feb 2003
Posts: 1601
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| No, I mean the city has no idea how much I make, so I don't receive a bill. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| guest of Japan wrote: |
| No, I mean the city has no idea how much I make, so I don't receive a bill. |
Wouldn't your employer report your income? Mine deducts it automatically from my paycheque. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
guest of Japan
Joined: 28 Feb 2003
Posts: 1601
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| He wouldn't if it means he can save money too. Unfortunately, I do not know how employers are taxed. I pay national taxes, but nothing local, and my national health insurance is more than a little out of whack because of this. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| guest of Japan wrote: |
| He wouldn't if it means he can save money too. Unfortunately, I do not know how employers are taxed. I pay national taxes, but nothing local, and my national health insurance is more than a little out of whack because of this. |
Employers arent taxed, employees are. He is not required to file a tax return on your behalf if you are part time or you have several jobs. He will be taking out national taxes out of your income. the tax department then send the info about how much tax you paid and they calculate the city tax. I have no idea why you are not getting a bill from the city office, unless he is taking it out of your salary with the national taxes.
If you are not being charged for resident tax and you are not paying I wouldnt worry about it. Its only when you get a bill from city office and ignore it that you are then evading taxes. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
guest of Japan
Joined: 28 Feb 2003
Posts: 1601
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 12:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
When I got my most recent health insurance bill outline for the year, next to the amount earned for the year said zero. The only reason I am paying anything is because my wife is getting double charged for national health insurance and Shakai hoken. Sorting that out would probably cost me hundreds of thousands of yen in back charges.
My employer is not even telling the prefectural government that I exist. He files national taxes because he needs to be able to get visas.
He has two registered company offices, one in Chiba and one in Tokyo. He plays the two prefectures off each other by telling them that the main office is in the opposite prefecture. Therefore the company doesn't pay prefectural taxes.
I don't really know how he pulls everything off, but I do know he is not doing it out of my best interest. Perhaps he is even cheating at the national taxes. I receive a Gen sen chou shu (sp?), but perhaps it is a fake. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
taikibansei
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 811
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:28 am Post subject: |
|
|
Wow, Guest. 
If I remember correctly, you are searching for a new job. Let me second that choice--if and when this guy gets caught, you don't want to be around. They might want the foreigner to take the fall....
Good luck! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
craven
Joined: 17 Dec 2004
Posts: 130
|
| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:11 am Post subject: taxes |
|
|
A friend of mine managed to run up a Y300000 bill by throwing out the notices they sent over a few years. Pay it. You can even pay the thing in installments over the year so it's not such a huge burden on you.
I'd be willing to pay extra to the garbage men if they hauled away the cranky old garbage obasan who camps out near the pile every morning too. LOTS extra  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
JimDunlop2
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Posts: 2286
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:41 am Post subject: Re: taxes |
|
|
| craven wrote: |
| ...the cranky old garbage obasan who camps out near the pile every morning... |
I have only one suggestion. Manure. Lots of it. Leaky bag..... And a HUGE shit-eating grin on your face as you cheerfully announce OHAYO GOZAIMASU to her each time you do it...
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
