JAPAN TODAY


 

The internal affairs ministry plans to survey municipalities about uncollected resident tax from foreigners who leave Japan without paying, in order to consider countermeasures, a government source said Friday.

Workers living in Japan as of Jan. 1 are subject to resident tax for that year. However, it is typically paid in monthly installments from June of the following year and the time lag contributes to the problem, as some foreign workers leave Japan before their payments begin.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has been conducting interviews with some municipalities to gather information on how they manage resident tax collection and handle related administrative procedures.

Resident tax is levied based on annual income, unless it falls below a certain threshold. The ministry said it encourages foreign workers to pay in a lump sum before leaving Japan or through designated tax agents, but the methods are not fully utilized.

During the campaign for Sunday's House of Councillors election, policies concerning foreign residents in Japan drew attention, as some minor conservative parties claimed the number of workers and tourists from abroad has been growing excessively in recent years.