Unpaid Taxes?

[yellowlightman]

Probably being overly paranoid here, but when I was living in Japan in 2008 on a student visa I worked for a English school/preschool for about 5-6 weeks. They paid me what I was owed, but I was pretty unclear on the tax situation and didn't give it much thought. I have no idea if I was even on an official payroll, paychecks were late and it was owned by a guy out of the country, so I have no idea if they were on the up and up.

Heading back this December for my first visit since moving away in 2009 and it got me wondering if it's something I should be worrying about. I realize 5-6 weeks of a part time teachers salary is incredibly miniscule, but after spending an evening dealing with Japanese cops and being threatened with deportation after getting nabbed for jaywalking, I'm pretty averse to dealing with Japanese police.

Any thoughts?

[GomiGirl]

Are you coming back for work or just a holiday? You didn't say.
If just a holiday then don't stress. I know of plenty of people who skipped out without paying taxes and they haven't had any issues on entry or departure on a short term stay (tourist) visa.

If coming for work on a business visa, again I wouldn't worry so much. It isn't a police matter.
Say nothing about the prior taxes but start afresh with the ward office.

If anything comes of it, bow deeply, plead ignorance about the system, apologise for past transgressions, bow deeply again, pay any back taxes or fines (it won't be much as I don't think they are indexed), bow deeply and pay the next invoice when it is sent to you in 18 months.

[yanpa]

Did you have any "uncomfortable" dealings with immigration itself or overstay your visa? If not, it sounds like you have a couple of loose ends which are not going to be noticed by The System™. Maybe if you start working and living in exactly the same administrative area as before, someone at the tax office / national insurance adminstrarium might put 2 and 2 together and make you pay up a little, but that's very unlikely to get you a free stay in the Gaijin Gulag if you're coming in as a bona-fide short-stay visitor.

[FG Lurker]

If the place was legit they will have deducted 10% of your salary and paid it to the tax office on your behalf. If it wasn't legit then everything was under the table and the chance the tax office even knows about it is nearly zero. Either way don't worry about it and of anything ever happens (near 0% chance IMO) follow GG's advice.

[Coligny]

Isn't their a minimum amount of income necessary before being taxable ?

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

As everyone else has said, fuck The Man.
You're as safe as the Bank of Athens!

[wuchan]

LOL j-taxes.


If you earn less than 400万円 a year a bit of creative accounting can exempt you from national tax. Ward/city tax is a fucking scam.

[yellowlightman]

Are you coming back for work or just a holiday? You didn't say.
If just a holiday then don't stress. I know of plenty of people who skipped out without paying taxes and they haven't had any issues on entry or departure on a short term stay (tourist) visa.

Yeah, I'll just be on a tourist visa. Thanks for the advice, everybody!

[matsuki]

LOL j-taxes.


If you earn less than 400万円 a year a bit of creative accounting can exempt you from national tax. Ward/city tax is a fucking scam.

Can I write off transportation (flights to the US and to/from work) cost? I make jack shit (in Japan) and it would be wonderful to get back what they take out for national taxes.