NHK notices that foreign workers exist

[hodensaft]

The recent setback handed to NOVA by the high court apparently stirred up media interest in foreign workers in Japan, specifically in the English industry. My wife and I both work for one of the larger ALT dispatch firms, and agreed to be interviewed by NHK. A film crew spent about four hours at our house, and it all got compressed down to my wife explaining how much she loves our town (and me nodding). Gotta love television. Anyway, it was all part of a larger piece on the gyomu-itaku dispatch system, broadcast on Saturday, June 30th (at 7:30am). Here it is, in two parts (because YouTube is annoying like that).

[dimwit]

NHK, at least it's sales staff has noticed us for years and even occasionally send some collectors around who can speak English. As far as their programming staff, I think they are to what all of us want to view....I assume...BTW are they still showing 'Little House on the Prairie'

[TennoChinko]

Do you and your wife pay NHK? If not, did the crew mind that you didn't have one of their gay stickers on your door? Or, did they even check at all?




I felt sorry for that poor Canuckian bastard with the kidney problem. If he had been on a proper Japanese health insurance program, he wouldn't have had to shell out over Y700,000 in direct medical costs. That must sting - especially coming from a country with universal healthcare (!) Ouch!

[hodensaft]

I haven't paid NHK in a couple years, actually. Haven't been going to great lengths to avoid them, it's just that no collectors have come calling since we moved into this apartment. I had wondered briefly if that would be a problem before the film crew showed up, but evidently the reporting and production staff don't consider it their job to deal with that sort of thing. It didn't even come up when they were here.

And yeah, there are a lot of hard-luck cases like that Canadian dude. Interac tries to steer people towards a private plan, with Global Health Insurance I think, that only reimburses medical expenses after the fact. I had a friend a couple years back who had surgery to remove a pilonidal cyst. He paid 100% of the cost up front, and then got the run-around for months afterwards while the company tried to deny his claim. When it was all over he still ended up being out over 200,000 yen.

[Iraira]

Originally Posted by hodensaft

I haven't paid NHK in a couple years, actually. Haven't been going to great lengths to avoid them, it's just that no collectors have come calling since we moved into this apartment. I had wondered briefly if that would be a problem before the film crew showed up, but evidently the reporting and production staff don't consider it their job to deal with that sort of thing. It didn't even come up when they were here.

They only came by my old place once in 5 years. I pulled the "Nihongo wo tabenai" on them, and the guy went away looking like this .

[Behan]

Of companies that illegally refuse to enroll their FG employees in shakai hoken, would it be too bitter to say?:

I hope they burn in hell!

BTW, isn't Interac owned by FGs? If so, it isn't only chrysanthemums exploiting FGs. The FGs would be doing it as well.

[hodensaft]

No, to the best of my knowledge Interac is entirely Japanese-owned. I've met some of the higher-up VPs (and the chief of the Maxceed group, apparently), and they're all Japanese. The top guy at Interac is Seiichi Matsumoto (I think he's the Mormon one. One of the top guys is, which is where the Utah connection comes in, and why people sometime mistake the owners for FGs).

About shakai hoken, I've heard conflicting things about this, but I think with the right documentation (i.e. employment contracts, paystubs, timesheets, bank statements, health insurance receipts) you can just head down to the office and enroll yourself. I've only heard about this being done second and third-hand, but I think I'm going to give it a shot over the summer break. I'll keep you all posted.

[Behan]

Thanks hodensaft, I look forward to hearing more about it.

Actually, I am an Interac ALT, too, and at orientation they told us we had two insurance options, Kokumin Kenko Hoken or their insurance. After the same experience in eikaiwa, I just thought 'here we go again...'

[hodensaft]

Brendan, did you end up taking Kokumin Hoken? My wife and I have been on it together since 2004, and while the coverage is fine (we pay a straight 30% at the point of service, pretty much like everyone else), our annual insurance payments have gone up to around 400,000 yen. Last year when we were at our city hall updating some visa information, the guys in charge of health insurance took a look at our payment book and told us, "You look like you make too much to be only part-time. You should be on shakai hoken."

[TennoChinko]

Originally Posted by hodensaft

Brendan, did you end up taking Kokumin Hoken? My wife and I have been on it together since 2004, and while the coverage is fine (we pay a straight 30% at the point of service, pretty much like everyone else), our annual insurance payments have gone up to around 400,000 yen. Last year when we were at our city hall updating some visa information, the guys in charge of health insurance took a look at our payment book and told us, "You look like you make too much to be only part-time. You should be on shakai hoken."

What did he mean? That is - I am not sure what 'shakai hoken' is .... were they saying you ought to also be paying for 'kokumin kenkin' (national pension) as well? If so, there is very little benefit for you even if you plan to be here for the next 30 years. You can get a one-time refund on your premiums after you leave the country but I think it's only partial in nature. While they might mislead or coerce you to go on the program - I do not think they can legally force you to do so. In any event, it pays to know your rights.



Anyways, a question I had was whether Interac has tried any retaliation against you or your wife for appearing in the documentary?