Job Discussion Forums

[ajarn]

He knows when you've been sleeping
He knows when your awake
He knows if you've paid your bill or not
So pay it for goodness sake!

Actually I don't agree with the last line because I've never paid the NHK man, but it ryhmed so I left it in.


I first arrived in Tokyo back in April this year. In just my second week I got a knock at the door one night at about 8:30, I was greated by a middle_aged gentleman in full NHK attire jibbering in some language I didn't understand. After a couple of minutes of confusion with a few wakirimasen's thrown in on my part he left me alone. I just recently returned to Japan 6 days ago after 2 months away. I have moved to a new apartment in a new city. Last night I was once again visited by the NHK goblin. I put up the usual stupid foreigner defence and he departed after a couple of minutes.

I don't want to start a debate about whether you are legally obliged to pay for the NHK service, if japanese people do or what other people do because I know it's been done to death on this forum.

So here is my question; Is there a conspiracy betwen realtors an NHK? Are the realtors getting a kickback for informing NHK of new tenants?

Realtor: hey it's Satoshi from Leopalace, we've got a live one over in 'Flat Paradise' apartment no.922

NHK: Thanks satoshi we'll get someone around there in the next few days.

Or does the NHK man have ESP?

[cabbagehead]

Doubt it. Lived in our first apartment for two years. Never saw an NHK man.

Lived for for almost four years before arrived one night. And the one and only person who paid the bill out of 16 apartments was, wait for it..... my colleague downstairs. We don't have a TV anyway and he actually took my word for this though I did invite him in to prove it.

To this day, my colleague is kicking himself having discovered, on talking to students, not one individual he teaches has ever paid the NHK man. Now he has a badge over his door to proove his gullibility. But being British we take TV licenses a bit seriously. You can get your pants fined off for not having one in the UK.

Anyway, I digress, I don't think our landlord cares two hoots about the NHK guy