No Escape From The NHK Man?

[Iraira]

NHK makes it all too easy to get out of paying fees. Just keep a list of all the scandals that they have had over the past 10 years, and if the NHK goblins come by, shove it in their faces and scream, "Nihongo o tabenai!" They went away rather quickly, never to be heard from again. As they are running away from your building, tossing your TV off the balcony adds a little exclamation point. Make sure to have a friend vdeo the whole thing.

[succubusqueen]

The Nihongo o tabenai is rather cool....I've used the "I dont have a TV "..line...(even if there is a blue glow in the background).Funny thing..after that I speak in a rather "Beep..Beep..Road Runner english version.. or speedy gonzalez way...they run like crazy after that! ....
No more NHK guy!:D

[ttjereth]

The NHK guy basically stalks my house. I told him we have at least 7 TV's and watch all of them continuously. Though, none of them are used for terrestrial broadcast reception - only direct connection to stb's, DVD/HD players, vod adapters and cctv.

Just to nitpick, according to NHK it doesn't matter what the tv's etc. are used for, only if they are capable of receiving terrestial broadcasts.

According to them, if they are capable, then you have to pay. Had this arguement with them when I lived out in the boonies, even showed the guy I didn't have either of the NHK channels programmed into the TV channel scan. He was still adamant.

I ended up just telling him I wasn't going to pay. They even tried contacting my workplace (since i worked in city hall), but city hall told them to take a flying leap too.

[Catoneinutica]

It could be worse. The BBC has vans. You can't hide. Perfectly Orwellian:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy4sWMIPeQc&eurl

[Captain Japan]

Fear of outing drives cross-dressing druggie sadist into deadly night-long orgy of torture
Mainichi

Fears of exposure of drug use, kinky sex habits and a "harem" of women led a Tokyo man to batter his ex-wife to death, but his trial revealed an even more chilling side to his actions than the heinous acts he was accused of, according to Shukan Gendai (5/10-17).

Koji Shiga is now serving 10 years in jail after the Tokyo District Court found him guilty of inflicting injury resulting in the death of his former spouse, 40-year-old Miho Shiga, in a vicious overnight onslaught on May 27 last year.

Shiga lived in a three-story house in Tokyo's Adachi-ku. He set up ex-wife Miho and their children on the first floor, kept his lover, 34-year-old Tomoko Hitomi, on the second floor, and occupied the entire top floor himself. He had another lover he frequently called over to his home, and, as if that wasn't enough, he also owned a home in Shinjuku-ku together with the Chinese woman who is currently his legal wife. Shiga spent much of his time moving between the homes in Shinjuku-ku and Adachi-ku, the latter the place where Miho Shiga lost her life....more...

[Mulboyne]

Yomiuri: NHK to cut television viewing fees by 10%

NHK has decided to cut viewing fees by 10 percent in fiscal 2012, sources said. NHK President Shigeo Fukuchi and other executives decided to cut the fee after it was recommended by the broadcaster's Board of Governors. The board, chaired by Shigetaka Komori, had refused to approve the company's next three-year management plan. Company executives will stress in talks with the board they did not propose the viewing fee cut, and that it was incorporated into the management plan as a supplementary resolution under the board's authority, according to sources. One executive said, "The board also has to be responsible for management." The Board of Governors, however, wants its executives to make the viewing fee cut decision on their own. The governors and executives hope to conclude their talks on the fee cut Tuesday.

[TFG]

NHK, the mouthpiece of the LDP.
They edit their political programs on the whims of LDP politicians in an atempt to sanitize the reality that the Japanese government officially forced Korean women into the sex slave industry. Until they stop being politicaly biased towards the LDP, they will get NONE of my money.

And escape from them is easy, if you don't have a TV.

[Mulboyne]

For comparison, here's an article on usage of the BBC's free online service:

Over 1m per day embrace BBC iPlayer

[Bucky]

[Mulboyne]

This article (Japanese) suggests that NHK is increasingly resorting to the courts to enforce payment of the licence fee. Since November 2006, the broadcaster has begun proceedings in 436 cases. In particular, they are going after non-payment by institutions such as hotels.

[Yokohammer]

This article (Japanese) suggests that NHK is increasingly resorting to the courts to enforce payment of the licence fee. Since November 2006, the broadcaster has begun proceedings in 436 cases. In particular, they are going after non-payment by institutions such as hotels.

The article also says that although they can probably force corporations and institutions to cooperate through legal action, private individuals are a different matter, and it will be difficult to get money out of people who don't want to pay. According to the lawyers quoted, NHK's warning that they're going to go after individuals as well is mostly a scare tactic.

Personally I have no problem with paying, and I don't think the basic fee is particularly high, but NHK really does need to do something about the attitudes of their local staff.

My wife and I have just moved to a new house, and it was less than a week before a surly NHK rep showed up and, without even asking if we had a TV simply said "the fee is collected in advance," shoving his way into the genkan and craning his head around to see if he could hear any hint of a TV running. There isn't. The house we bought has an antenna on the roof, but according the estate agent and seller it isn't connected for some reason so we need to have that worked on. No TV yet. I told the guy so, but then he proceeded to push in even further and say things like "do you have CS too?" when there is no parabola anywhere on the house, and I had just finished telling him we haven't even set up a TV yet. Really pissed me off. Anyway, so after telling him about three times and standing firmly in his way so he couldn't push in any further, he showed outward displeasure that he wasn't going to get his contract and left saying "I'll be back."

Right, so the next time he does show up, whether we have our TV ready or not by then, I'm going to get his name card and send him on his way saying "when we're ready we'll apply via the Internet (which is really quite easy), so there's no need for you to come around." Depending on the response I get he may or may not be reported to NHK. Not that it'll do any good, but they really need to hear about thugs like this.

Like I said, I'm happy to pay, but have no intention of dealing with pushy NHK nazis.

[wuchan]

The article also says that although they can probably force corporations and institutions to cooperate through legal action, private individuals are a different matter, and it will be difficult to get money out of people who don't want to pay. According to the lawyers quoted, NHK's warning that they're going to go after individuals as well is mostly a scare tactic.

Personally I have no problem with paying, and I don't think the basic fee is particularly high, but NHK really does need to do something about the attitudes of their local staff.

My wife and I have just moved to a new house, and it was less than a week before a surly NHK rep showed up and, without even asking if we had a TV simply said "the fee is collected in advance," shoving his way into the genkan and craning his head around to see if he could hear any hint of a TV running. There isn't. The house we bought has an antenna on the roof, but according the estate agent and seller it isn't connected for some reason so we need to have that worked on. No TV yet. I told the guy so, but then he proceeded to push in even further and say things like "do you have CS too?" when there is no parabola anywhere on the house, and I had just finished telling him we haven't even set up a TV yet. Really pissed me off. Anyway, so after telling him about three times and standing firmly in his way so he couldn't push in any further, he showed outward displeasure that he wasn't going to get his contract and left saying "I'll be back."

Right, so the next time he does show up, whether we have our TV ready or not by then, I'm going to get his name card and send him on his way saying "when we're ready we'll apply via the Internet (which is really quite easy), so there's no need for you to come around." Depending on the response I get he may or may not be reported to NHK. Not that it'll do any good, but they really need to hear about thugs like this.

Like I said, I'm happy to pay, but have no intention of dealing with pushy NHK nazis.

reporting him won't do much good. The wife and I had a similar experience, the first time he showed there wasn't even a tv in the house yet. I answered the door and he tried to shove his head in. I pushed it back out the door and yelled at him in English and then played the no nihongo game. He went away for a while. Three weeks later he came back and my wife answered, she is not your typical j-wife, and told him to fuck off. He tried to push his way in again so she called me on the cell. I was out back trimming some trees with my new toy, a STHL MS390 chainsaw. I come around to the front to see him trying to pull the door open. So I yell at him again, still holding a running chainsaw. He turned, saw me and ran, literally fucking ran. My wife gave me the WTF speech and was pissed that the cops were probably going to show up. The cops never came and NHK never came back......

[Yokohammer]

... I come around to the front to see him trying to pull the door open. So I yell at him again, still holding a running chainsaw. He turned, saw me and ran, literally fucking ran. My wife gave me the WTF speech and was pissed that the cops were probably going to show up. The cops never came and NHK never came back......

Thanks for the vicarious thrill! You just made my day.

Chainsaw, eh ...

[kagemusha]

A few years ago the NHK guy came over just a week after we moved to the new house. I argued with him and said we don't watch TV and I don't intend to pay for something I don't need. He stood his ground for a minute and then the two dogs who were basking in the sun in back yard came running around the corner barking like crazy. I'm not talking about chiwawas here but two 40kg dogs. They are the most gentle creatures in the world and always welcome visitors wagging their tails but that time they were right on the spot. The guy broke the Olympic record and disappear in friction of a second never to come back.

[wuchan]

A few years ago the NHK guy came over just a week after we moved to the new house. I argued with him and said we don't watch TV and I don't intend to pay for something I don't need. He stood his ground for a minute and then the two dogs who were basking in the sun in back yard came running around the corner barking like crazy. I'm not talking about chiwawas here but two 40kg dogs. They are the most gentle creatures in the world and always welcome visitors wagging their tails but that time they were right on the spot. The guy broke the Olympic record and disappear in friction of a second never to come back.

I need some big ass dogs. I never meant to scare the guy, I just didn't want to leave the saw lying around with a toddler running around. If I planned it I think I would have got into a lot of trouble.

[American Oyaji]

You know. They came to the door one time and I opened it and looked out at the guy. He bowed, apologized and left without saying another word.

And wuchan! I've got beer on my screen now. Your fault, but thanks for the laugh!!

[Iraira]

Answer the door with a large knife in your hand. Tell the NHK man that you are cooking dinner and could use some help getting the cat out from the back of the closet, in a hurry, or the stew will be ruined. 99 times out of 100, NHK man will leave. That 1 time out of 100, NHK man will offer seasoning and tenderizing advice. You should probably pay up in this case.

[TennoChinko]

NHK agents are just that - not employees of NHK. It seems many people mistakenly accord them with some kind of "legal authority" that excuses them for physically forcing their way not just into the genkan, but even into the living room. It's not overly-paranoid to assume that anyone trying to physically force their way into your home is up to no good. Treating them just like any other would-be intruder in a case like this would be a good idea.

[BO-SENSEI]

Since there is nothing good on television in the first place makes me feel 10x better about lying to them when I tell them I do not have a television, but the latest NHK man spoke to me in his best English and even asked me if I knew his son name Yuki who is one of my students. I have like 50 Yuki's so no I had no idea which one was his sons.

[Catoneinutica]

Any NHK thread requires a bit of BBC context to illustrate how much worse things could be:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/charlesmoore/5797954/Dear-BBC-No-you-cant-have-my-142.50.-Will-I-see-you-in-court.html

And this is the guy in charge of the BBC. I wouldn't pay my license fee on the basis of his amphibiod appearance alone:

[FG Lurker]

Personally I have no problem with paying, and I don't think the basic fee is particularly high, but NHK really does need to do something about the attitudes of their local staff.

In 14 years here I have never paid NHK, never signed a contract, and will never give those fuckers a dime.

The quality of the programming is absolute shit and the news is nothing other than gov't propaganda. I'll pass, thanks.

NHK should become an ad supported station like any other or they can try and go the PBS route and collect from people who wish to support them. There is no need for a gov't run broadcaster with forced fee payments.

[james]

while i haven't seen a wide sample of the bbc's programming, what i have seen i've really liked, both new and old. any dr. who fans here?

not sure it's fair to compare the two, perhaps some brits or those with more exposure could chime in on this?

i just wonder if this country will ever get out of the current banal programming model.

[BigInJapan]

I am also in in agreement with the general consensus expressed on FG that NHK sucks wind big time. I blew off their "agents" a few times when I lived on my own for a few years with all kinds of clever excuses ("I only watch Skyperfect" was one that worked well, FWIW). But, lo and behold their relentlessness paid off one day about 10 years ago when they came around while I was at work, and they pressured the missus who buckled with just the slightest threat that it was the law etc. Actually, I think it is now included automatically in my cable payments (don't know if it's extra though). Hmm, something to look into...

[IkemenTommy]

The Tokyo court orders (in Japanese) two to pay NHK payments for a total of 166,800 JPY.

This is the first case the court order was given to pay the NHK fee.

[CrankyBastard]

I read somewhere recently (can't remember where, 'm too old to give shit) that they're trying to pass a 'law' requiring people to pay the fees if there's a working antenna cable socket on the premises.

[CrankyBastard]

[IkemenTommy]

I read somewhere recently (can't remember where, 'm too old to give shit) that they're trying to pass a 'law' requiring people to pay the fees if there's a working antenna cable socket on the premises.

You mean like stealing out of our paychecks via income tax?

[Iraira]

The NHK man hasn't been by for awhile, but the shinbun guys have been making their rounds. Latest encounter was in the middle of a much needed bladder emptying. I thought it was the gf, so I strained to cut off the flow without depositing the overly yellow juice in my drawers and ran over to the intercom (must mean I really like her if I'm gonna stop mid-piss to buzz her in).
Turns out to be the Yomiuri guy. I cut him off the minute he said what paper he was hawking, told him that I thought he was my gf and that I had been taking a much needed piss when he buzzed me. I asked him if he'd ever had to cut off a piss, and I swear I heard him making the air sucking sound through the intercom.
Hung up, went back to finish my piss, which didn't have the full relief sensation I was hoping for. Fucking shinbun bastards.

[Yokohammer]

The NHK man hasn't been by for awhile, but the shinbun guys have been making their rounds. Latest encounter was in the middle of a much needed bladder emptying. I thought it was the gf, so I strained to cut off the flow without depositing the overly yellow juice in my drawers and ran over to the intercom (must mean I really like her if I'm gonna stop mid-piss to buzz her in).
Turns out to be the Yomiuri guy. I cut him off the minute he said what paper he was hawking, told him that I thought he was my gf and that I had been taking a much needed piss when he buzzed me. I asked him if he'd ever had to cut off a piss, and I swear I heard him making the air sucking sound through the intercom.
Hung up, went back to finish my piss, which didn't have the full relief sensation I was hoping for. Fucking shinbun bastards.

I feel your pain ... (or perhaps your sense of residual bladder content?).

There are exceptions, but I generally make it a habit to go ballistic on any motherfucker who feels entitled to use my doorbell or telephone as their personal sales tool. That's not what I have them for. Particularly my telephone. I have been told that I'm very rude, in fact, which of course leads to an even ruder reminder that it was they who interrupted my life with their unsolicited and unwelcome bullshit, and not the other way around. Some of them actually get angry with me, as if they have every right to use my phone or doorbell on my time to flog their crap. Their sense of entitlement is stupendous. The halfwits who try to sell me some kind of religion or "good fortune" get an extra helping of abuse for good measure.

I'm aware that none of this will make the slightest bit of difference, but it can be a guilt-free way to let off some steam.

Being a crusty old fart can actually be kinda fun at times.

[Bucky]

Looks like NHK is preparing to play hard ball (if you can call it that.):ninja2:

On Dec. 1 it notified two Tokyo households that it would institute civil proceedings to force them to sign contracts and pony up back payments.

The same day, it filed papers with district courts for permission to seize the assets of 24 individuals in 14 cities and prefectures who had signed contracts but had not paid for periods of between a few months and years. They owe a total of $32,350.

The pubcaster sent similar warnings to eight deadbeats in May, of whom seven reached settlements and one has since had assets seized.
Although NHK is making an example of a few of the worst offenders, rather than going after thousands of scofflaws, it hopes its assets-seizure strategy will persuade others to cough up.

"We consider this the method of last resort to ensure that everyone bears the burden of the receiving fees equally," the broadcaster said in a statement.