Job Discussion Forums

[rcn]

A rep from NHK TV came to my place and showed me a pamphlet that says anybody who owns a tv is required by law to pay to NHK a monthly bill. I have started to pay, but some people have told me that I have to pay and others that I don't. Who is right?

[David W]

As I understand it, yes it's the law you have to pay, but there is no penalty for not paying. Welcome to Japan

[Reesy]

David's right. The law is you have to pay but there is no penalty for not doing so. The overwhelming majority of Japanese people do pay because of the high level of esteem in which NHK is held by this society. I, however, find their programming to be crap, do not watch it, and therefore do not pay. You may find this attitude to be beligerent and culturally insensitive, but I've lived here too long to make endless concessions (I do make some) based on the "when in Rome" philosophy.

The "NHK Man" has been to my apartment 4 times over the past 12 months or so. The first 3 times I was polite. Last time they came at 10:15 pm and I wasn't nearly so pleasant. That was a month ago and I haven't seen them since. I'm eagerly awaiting our next showdown.

Be strong!

Reesy

[Lucy Snow]

We owned our television for five years before the NHK man came to call. The first time, I pretended I didn't understand Japanese, and he started speaking to me in English. Ooops. I told him I didn't have any cash at home (complete lie) and he left me a pamphlet.

The second time a different guy showed up, and my "I don't speak Japanese" routine worked, and he left me another pamphlet.

The third time, my husband told the NHK guy that we never watch NHK because it was a terrible station.

They never came back, and we enjoyed three more years of "free" television.

[hagakuri]

I was in Japan for about 4 days, when on a saturday at 6:00am there was this pounding on my door. I went to the door and looked out the peep hole. There was a man and two woman at my door. I was a bit confused at the situation being a newbiee in Japan. I figured I wouldn`t answer it. They continued to knock for 10 minutes!!! I am not talking about polite knocking... I talking about `this is the police` type of knocking.

A month later they returned and I answered. Wiser to the situation I broke out in Spanish and told them that I don`t speak English or Japanese. They have never returned.

Yes, it is a rule... but I never watch so accordingly I don`t pay. I know it is rationalizing the situation but what the hey.

It`s up to you.

[Glenski]

[guest of Japan]

I believe Glenski is right. I was actually going to pay once because I misunderstood the frequency of which I would have to pay. Fortunately my girlfriend filled me in on how the system works and she refused to let me pay. She said that most Japanese people were that way.

As I understand it, if you buy a satellite then an NHK fee is automatically deducted from your bank account, but with normal TV or cable you can lie as much as you like.

[kingjono]

I made the misake of paying when the NHK man came to visit the first time. I just wanted him to go away, so I payed the few thousand yen and he disappeared. After that, someone came to visit every month, asking for more money. I got away witout paying for the next few months using excuses like those above (no money, nihongo o tabemasen etc...). After that, they started sending me a bill. I haven't payed that once. It's up to about 30,000 yen now. Heh heh.

Just for the record, I have SkyPerfectTV, so I NEVER watch NHK. I don't think I should have to pay.

[cafebleu]

Having been in Japan for a while now I can tell Reesey that the reason why the overwhelming majority of people pay NHK is NOT because of the `high esteem` in which that station is supposedly held.

As with us foreigners, most Japanese seem to regard the NHK fee collection as just another parisitic charge that is levied by an incompetent government that wastes bucketloads of taxpayers` money on industries such as the construction industry which employs about 10 percent of Japan`s workforce and spends its days concreting over rivers, etc.

I have heard any number of Japanese from different walks of life complain about the NHK tax and I think it is fair to say that the Japanese do seem to resent it as much as we do. They know just as we do that it is a government scam designed to grab more of our money through indirect taxing.

I don`t watch NHK but unfortunately pay the tax as I took over the lease of a house from somebody who always did. That NHK man is a nice person but as I honestly do not watch NHK maybe I should be telling him that. It`s a little too late, however.

But I do think that it is maybe a wise thing to pay it. If you don`t, you look like just another irresponsible foreigner and I wouldn`t be surprised if they keep precise records of those who refuse to `volunteer` their money this way. At the gaijinpot.com website there is also a debate on the NHK tax and luminaries such as Ms Trip Hop give what I think is good information (as usual).

Glenski - do you pay the NHK tax?

[Glenski]

cafebleu,

I avoided it when I lived by myself the first 3 1/2 years. Like so many others, I didn't even know what the NHK man was asking the first few times he came. I probably didn't see him until I'd been in Japan over 6 months! My students actually told me who he was and told me to avoid paying him if I could. They were envious of the fact that I could feign ignorance of the language. (So much for the theory that Japanese people hold NHK in high esteem!)

When I got married, the NHK man came to our apartment about a month or two after we moved in. My wife admitted that she made an error when she met him at the door, and as a result we signed up.

As others have written, it's not a huge chunk of money to be concerned about, it's taken out of the bank account automatically (so you don't have to do anything out of your way to pay it), and we enjoy enough of the programs to satisfy paying.

For what it's worth, I voluntarily made contributions to PBS back in the States, even though I paid the lowest amount possible and watched only a couple of programs.

[Reesy]

Sorry Glenski I don't have any "figures" showing how many Japanese people pay for NHK or an opinion poll asking people how they feel about NHK. But I stand by my original contention.

In my experience in this country I have seen that Japanese people take great pride in their national broadcaster. I remember 4 or 5 years back there was a great much made of the 50 years since NHK's first broadcast. The newspapers and television news (not just NHK) gave it lots of attention. Your Japanese students may tell you how they bravely defy the NHK man when he comes to their door. I wonder if they really do.
As a little experiment to prove this point try walking around some mansions and houses in your neighbourhood and see how many people have a valid NHK sticker on or around their door.

Anyways, I don't really care if 20, 30, 50, or 90% of Japanese people pay the NHK man. I just wanted to tell the orignal poster that I don't pay and they don't have to.

And by the way, here is a recent snippet of an interview done by ELT News with an American actor. It's still on their website if you want to read it.

"Q: They say that many Japanese would happily work on an NHK production for nothing, just for the prestige it brings. Have you found that it gives your resume something "extra"?
A: Absolutely. the reputation of NHK helps in all aspects my life in Japan, from quick acceptance at immigration to getting a housing loan. "

Sorry Glenski and Cafebleu, but this would indicate to me that NHK is indeed held in a high level of esteem by most Japanese people.

Have a good day,

Reesy

[homersimpson]

Ah, the great debate! In the first two places I lived, I never even saw an NHK collector, although I'd heard about them. Then I had my first encounter with a guy about 8 months ago. I pretended as if I didn't know what he talking about (I know, terrible and overused gaijin trick) and after a few minutes of his sales pitch, I simply pointed to my SkyPerfect dish and he just gave up. I haven't seen him since.

[TokyoLiz]

So, what's the bottom line? How much does the NHK man demand every month? And how do they know that you watch that stuff?

[cafebleu]

I pay 2,790 yen I think - haven`t got my receipts on me at the moment. I presume that is 2 months at a time`s worth. I resent paying it but I am not going to shoot the messenger - the NHK man - with whom I get along fine.

It seems that in some areas such as mine there are many NHK stickers on doors yet if I go into another area I don`t see them. These stickers are mostly on rental housing doors - just another example of inequality in Japan? I don`t know.

However, (can somebody confirm or correct this?) I have heard from another poster on either here or gaijinpot.com that the law was changed 3 years ago and it is not an obligation anymore. If that is the case, I will stop paying as it would be clear that NHK is playing on what people are accustomed to doing even if they don`t have to do it anymore.

Bottom line for me - if the law has indeed changed as of 3 years ago to be a voluntary levy I will indeed stop paying. I never have watched NHK and I have lived here for about 3 years. However, if it is indeed a legal obligation then I will continue paying as I don`t want to do anything that makes me look like just another foreigner who does not want to fulfil obligations in Japan. This is a stereotype but I don`t want to fit the stereotype.

[Glenski]