Q&A  - Living -
		Q1. I wish to drive in Japan. Can I drive on an International Licence I have from my country? (Peruvian, Male, 32)
		A1. (How long is an International Licence valid?) An International Licence is valid for 1 year. If you have received the licence within a year you can drive on it. The licence is valid up to one year after arrival in Japan, so those who don't depart Japan for over one year cannot drive with one. This is a roundabout way of saying that people who reside in Japan for more than a year cannot use an International Licence. Unlike immigration law, re-entry is also considered as arrival. If you leave Japan to visit a foreign country, your licence is again valid for another year upon your return. (If I have an accident while driving on an International Licence, how does this effect my insurance?) As long as the licence is valid there is no problem. Do however consider the age conditions and driver limitations of your insurance policy. Just for reference, regarding driving unregistered and without a licence, about third party compensation, compulsory insurance/optional insurance both apply. From the point of view of protecting the injured party, there is no exemption of responsibility. But in the future with deregulation, I don't know how cheap insurance will work. (Can my International Driver's Licence be suspended?) In 1994 the Road Traffic Law was amended. To be precise, rather than the licence becoming invalid, the holder is banned from driving, but the result is the same as if the licence was suspended. (Can I change my International Licence to a Japanese one?) It is possible. In this too, rather than transferring from an international to a Japanese licence , you transfer from your own country's domestic licence to a Japanese one. Provided that you have driving experience in your own country and pass a test. Although this test is said to be easier than getting a new licence, it is quite difficult. (Can an overstayer drive on an International Driver's Licence?) If you have a valid licence you can. However, it will increase the chance of you having contact with the police so I don't recommend it. (recently the system has become stricter) Once, changing to a Japanese licence was easy but it was said that driving on an international licence was better because there were licence suspension even though there were fines, but that is no longer the case. The reason is that, although the number of foreigners has also increased, Japanese people who had lost there licence have been driving on international licences acquired both properly abroad and improperly. When the brokers of these licences were exposed the rules were changed. A very annoying state of affairs for foreigners. However, an international licence itself does not allow you to drive, it is your licence from your own country. Accordingly, if your home country's licence is suspended, your international licence is not valid. Therefore, when you are driving you should carry both your international licence and your home country's licence. Links: The National Police Agency (those who have licences of other countries)
		Q2:How to switch over from a foreign country's licence
		A2: Why don't you drive on the drivers licence issued in your own country? If you go through the procedures, you can use that licence in Japan. When applying to change your licence over, your licence must be valid and you must have been in the issuing country for more than three months after the licence was issued. Also, for some countries a test of aptitude, knowledge and skill may be required. The level of the test, and the necessary documents for changing your licence over, vary according to the public safety committee in each administrative area. When applying, bring your residency certificate (住民票(juuminhyou)), and your alien registration card to the Drivers Licence Testing Centre of your local government office. 1. Your drivers licence that was issued overseas 2. Your passport (to verify that you were in the country for more than three months after your licence was issued) 3. Your alien registration card and residency certificate 4. one photo (3 x 2.4cm) 5. Your licence translated into Japanese 6. pens and pencils, seal (印鑑(inkan)) 7. If the day of issue is not mentioned, you will need a drivers history record. Regarding the licence translation, one authorised by the issuing country's embassy, consulate, or done by JAF (Japan Automobile Federation) is acceptable. Regarding cost, the aptitude, knowledge and skill test fee is 2400 yen and the application fee is 1750 yen. For more details, consult with the officer responsible for licences at your nearest police station. For those who do not know Japanese, please go to the foreigners consultation window where you will find a translator Links: Holders of foreign licences (National Police Agency) Information about changing your licence from a foreign country's licence to a a Japanese licence (Japanese translation) (JAF)
		Q3.I am a Filipina woman who has divorced a Japanese man. Now I am an instructor in an English school and raising a child (with Japanese nationality). I wish to buy a mansion, but can a foreigner like me buy one? I don't have permanent residency, but I have 3 million yen in savings.
		A3. I don't know about the details of the mansion, but first of all I will will explain about public housing. Within public housing, there are City Maintenance Housing Corporation (jitakutoshikoudan), the City and Prefectural Housing Corporations (todoufukenjitakukousha), due to the various local government offices. But as for Japanese there are various conditions for entry, such as income standards and not being by oneself. Another standard, for the Housing Maintenance rental apartments is being a registered foreigner. Regarding the condominiums (for sale), residency is required. Next, for public and other types of housing, buying with a lump sum is not very realistic, instead it is common to get a loan from the Housing Loan Corporation. I will explain about their standards. Whether Japanese or a foreigner, as well as meeting income standards, you must intend to live with a family (you can't live alone), and there are also age restrictions. Furthermore, you must have permission to stay in Japan permanently, or be resident, or have a child that is. Your current residency status is presumably "long term resident" or "specialist in humanities/international services" but being a "stable resident" is actually more desirable. Accordingly, even though you have foreign nationality, as you are raising a child it will be possible for you to buy a condo. However, your income level and stability as well as your residency status will be asked about. If you go with the Housing Loan Corporation, there is a consultation shopfront for discussing the loan system, and you can also pick up a pamphlet.
		Q4. I have heard of cases of foreigners being refused leases. Can you tell me about discrimination over housing?
		A4. Housing discrimination occurs when people are refused leases for being a foreigner, or because of lack of Japanese ability are deceived into paying unjust charges. There are some cases where potential tenants are clearly turned down because of their nationality, but in other cases no clear reason is given. This behaviour is not just wrong, it is also a serious violation of human rights. Here are some recent cases of tenancy discrimination. One non-Japanese was refused a refused a lease because the guarantor was not Japanese; another was refused because that person was unable to speak of lack Japanese well enough to converse with the owner; a third received a lease, but was however instructed to pay for extraneous costs, including a fire extinguisher, insecticide, and insurance policy. Please, keep in mind that while not all property owners (realtors & landlords) discriminate, it is most important to be careful and avoid being cheated. For instance, it is extremely risky to take out a lease after reading just an advert attached to telegraph pole. Please be sure to talk it over with someone before committing yourself to a lease. It is a good idea to discuss the lease with a foreigners' advise bureau first.
		Q5. I started working in Japan in September. What kind of taxes are there in Japan?
		A5. Firstly Japanese tax is divided into tax paid to the national government and that paid to local governments. The national taxes include income tax, gift tax, inheritance tax, revenue-stamp duty, registration and licence tax, customs and consumption tax. Regional government tax, in the case of Tokyo's 23 wards include metropolitan tax and special ward tax (both commonly called residence tax). For some people there is business tax, fixed assets tax, vehicle tax, real-estate acquisition tax etc. are also levied.
		Q6. In my case, what kinds of tax do I have to pay?
		A6. Income tax is collected by the tax revenue office, but resident's tax is paid over the counter at the ward office. If you work at a company, income tax will be deducted from your income as you earn. The expenses incurred in earning one years salary (Jan-Dec) will be deducted from your salary to calculate your taxable income. i.e. 1. That year's pay grade's salary - deductions from earnings = that year's income 2. That year's income - deductions from income = taxable income 3. Taxable income x tax rate = That year's income tax
		Q7. How about the income tax rate?
		A7.If you are a resident you pay the same rate as a Japanese national. Non-residents however are taxed a flat rate of 20%.
		Q8. What is the difference between a resident and a non-resident?
		A8. To put it simply, a resident is someone who has an address in Japan, who has lived here for more than one year or intends to do so. A non-resident is anyone with a status of residence as a temporary visitor.

		Q9. And how is resident's tax calculated?
		A9. In the case of resident's tax, your previous year's income is taxed the following year. For example, 1999s residence tax would be calculated based on 1998s income. In your case you will be taxed from next year. This is unrelated to your nationality; if you are residing in Japan on January 1st that year you are liable to pay resident's tax. In fact, a part of the tax is based on your income and the other part is on a per-capita basis. The income based portion is calculated based on your last year's income as mentioned above. That is, a fixed rate of tax is applied to your salary minus exemptions and deductions (basic deductions, spouse/dependent deductions and miscellaneous deductions etc.).
		Q10. How are income tax and resident's tax paid?
		A10. If we look in detail, both income tax and residence tax are actually deducted from monthly income. Japan has a system of withholding tax at source. The employer deducts tax from your income and pays it to the government. In summary, in place of you, the tax payer, your employer has an obligation to deduct tax from your salary each month and pay it to the government. Residence is also deducted from your tax by your employer and payed to the ward office for you. This is called a special levy. Some companies however do not withhold resident's tax at source. In this case, you will get a notice from the city office and your payments will be broken down to four instalments over the year. This is a regular deduction, and those such as the self-employed pay the city office directly.
		Q11. What is an income deduction?
		A11. Income exemption are different depending on your circumstances. For example, if you have a spouse or dependents or if have any expenses incurred by sickness or disaster, this is considered and deducted from your income when calculating your taxable income. They include 1. Basic deduction: 380,000 is deducted from the income of all tax payers 2. Spouse deduction: generally the spouse deduction is 380,000 3. Dependent's deduction 4. Other deductions If you are remitting money to support your family in your home country and you have proof of this, then you can claim a dependent's deduction.
		Q12. At my company I have something about a "final return" (kakuteishinkoku). What is this?
		A12. It is often the case that the about of tax deducted at source, or estimated amount of tax to be paid is greater than the final amount of tax due. Or perhaps, due to a large medical expense, you can claim back some the tax that you have paid. This procedure is called the "final return". You can file your return between February 16 and March 15 of the following year. You can apply for up to five years retroactively.
		Q13. What kind of documents do I need to request a tax refund?
		A13. First you need to request a "withholding slip" from your company. The things you need are listed below. 1. Withholding slip 2. Alien registration card 3. Passport 4. A written proof which shows that you have supported your family at home (authorised by an official organisation such as your embassy, and containing information on your family members and their birthdays) 5. 6. Your bank account information 7. Your personal seal (inkan) or signature In the very unusual case that your company refuses to issue a withholding slip, this is in　violation of tax law and you should report your company to the tax office. If even then you cannot get one, you can request a refund using a "withholding slip exemption" form. They will need to know the details of your income for this.
		Q14: How long does the refund take to come through?
		A14: In the above examples about 1-2 months.
		Q15: What should I do if I am returning to my country in the meantime?
		A15.  If you have a Japanese friend, or someone who will still be living in Japan, you can have them become a proxy for your tax affairs. The necessary forms are available from the National tax Agency. Related sights: All you need to know about tax (N.T.A. (National Tax Agency)) The tax consulting room (N.T.A.) The tax study room (N.T.A.)

		Q16. I am a Pakistani man. Every month I remit money to my family in Pakistan. I have heard it may be possible for me to get a tax refund. How do I go about applying?
		A16.  It is often the case that the about of tax deducted at source, or estimated amount of tax to be paid is greater than the final amount of tax due. Or perhaps, due to a large medical expense, you can claim back some the tax that you have paid. This procedure is called the "final return". You can file your return between February 16 and March 15 of the following year. You can apply for up to five years retroactively. You will need the documents listed below. 1. Withholding slip 2. Alien registration card 3. Passport 4. A written proof which shows that you have supported your family at home (authorised by an official organisation such as your embassy, and containing information on your family members and their birthdays) 5. 6. Your bank account information 7. Your personal seal (inkan) or signature In the very unusual case that your company refuses to issue a withholding slip, this is in violation of tax law and you should report your company to the tax office. If even then you cannot get one, you can request a refund using a "withholding slip exemption" form. They will need to know the details of your income for this. Your refund will take between 1 and 2 months to come through. If you have to return to your country suddenly then, if you have a Japanese friend, or someone who will still be living in Japan, you can have them become a proxy for your tax affairs. The necessary forms are available from the National tax Agency.
		Q17. Brazilian national Mr. "B" is in his second year of working at the American "G" corporation's office in Japan. His parents are in Brazil, so to cover their living expenses he is remitting 50,000 yen a month. Can Mr. B claim a dependent's reduction on his tax?
		A17.  If he is sending back money to cover his parent's living expenses then he can claim a dependent's reduction. Mr. B is regarded to have been a resident from the time of his arrival in Japan. Dependents are relatives who are a single financial entity with the tax paying resident and whose income is less than 380,000. There is no requirement that dependents be residing in Japan.　Furthermore, even if the resident and dependents do not live together (if the remittance is being made to cover living expenses, school fees and medical expenses for the family) then the family can still be regarded as one financial unit. So if the remittance is for living expenses, and the family meet the income requirements, then even if the family is living separately a dependent deduction can be claimed. Accordingly, in the case of B's parents, if B is remitting money each month for living expenses, and B is one financial unit with them, then B can claim a dependent's deduction. However, if the money being remitted is nominally for living expenses, but the family has a high income, then the remitted money is treated as an allowance instead. In this case, the tax payer and his family become separate financial entities. Whether a remittance is an allowance, or living expense money is a matter of fact finding. This will be assessed differently according to living conditions in the country, the cost of living there and the level of income of the family.
		Q18. Please tell me about the Japanese health insurance system.
		A18. In Japan, when people become ill or get injured they can receive medical treatment and need pay only a portion of the medical expenses incurred if they have already joined a health insurance scheme. Not only the insured individual but also his or her family can receive adequate treatment. There are two types of health insurance schemes; one is the Kenko Hoken (Corporate Health Insurance), the other the Kokomin Kenko Hoken (National Health Insurance). The Kenko Hoken can be entered by corporate workers and their families. Companies are responsible for the insurance entry procedures of their employees. If you are a corporate employee and have not yet entered the scheme, contact your company's person in charge. The insurance premiums vary according to one's income. The number of children does not affect the amount of premiums to be paid. Regarding medical expenses incurred at hospitals and clinics, the insured individual must pay 20% and a family member 30% of the total cost. If you are a student studying in Japan, or an employee of a small shop or business and you have a foreign registration card and you have stayed in Japan for more than one year, or you can certify that your stay has been for more than one year, you can enter the Kokumin Kenko Hoken (National Health Insurance). To join the Kokumin Kenko Hoken, you should apply at the Kokumin Kenko Hoken-ka at the ward or municipal office where you are registered as a foreign resident. Foreigners with status of residence as a Temporary Visitor cannot enter this insurance system. Those in the Kokumin Kenko Hoken system must pay 30% of the total medical expenses incurred at hospitals etc. The expense varies according to your income and the number of family members.
		Q19. Please tell me about the nursing care insurance system.
		A19.  The Nursing Care Insurance System was introduced on April 1st, 2000. Under this system, people over 40 years of age must pay insurance premiums and will receive nursing care service after 60 years of age depending on their physical condition. Every Japanese over the age of 40 from April 1st, 2000 is involved in the system. This system is also applicable to non-Japanese who have joined the National Health Insurance (Kokumin Kenko Hoken) or Corporate Health Insurance (Kenko Hoken) systems. Kobe city distributed a guide of the Nursing Care Insurance System and had home-visit consultations for detailed explanation of the system. Non-Japanese obtained a guide by mail and were offered home-visit guidance if requested.
		Q20. The Livelihood Subsidies System
		A20. The Livelihood Subsidies System is available to anyone who is unable to work as a result of illness or injury, or who has lost his/her job or cannot find a job no matter how hard he/she tries to, and has difficulty in paying living and medical expenses. Through this system the government guarantees the minimal level of a healthy and civilized livelihood to any person in financial difficulty regardless of the cause. This system is available to anyone whose income is below the standard decided on by the government. When an application is made, the applicant will be requested to fully utilize not only his/her resources but also those of family members, including savings, real estate, valuable objects as well as their ability to work. However, this does not mean that items required for one's livelihood must be disposed of, nor does it mean that an application will be rejected if one has a little in savings. Neither is it necessary for a person to risk his/her health in order to work. This system is applicable to those who have the ability to work but are unable to find a job no matter how hard they try to. When the applicant can get assistance from relatives or other sources, these sources will be given priority and only when the total assistance is still below the standard amount, the system will provide the difference. Applications for use of this system should be made at the Welfare Office that covers the district where the applicant's residence is located. The followings are examples of the livelihood subsidies standards set by Kobe City. ・ A 50-year-old living alone: living expenses allowance \82,520, and actual rent allowance with limit \41,800 (A 70-year-old living alone: living expenses allowance \94,690). ・ A household of three people (42-year-old father, 40-year-old mother and a child in second grade of junior high school): living expenses allowance \177,240, actual rent allowance with limit \54,200, and educational allowance \4,800. In all cases medical care can be obtained free of charge. There may be differences in the amount of subsidies paid depending on the district of the applicant's residence.

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