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Quotations & Consumption Tax

Have you ever been quoted a price, agreed on it and then charged a higher amount?  It’s not a nice experience and it’s easy to feel you’ve been tricked.  The law is clear in Japan, Australia, Britain and probably elsewhere: When you give a price estimate or agree on a price, you should make it …

Tax Audits

The Tax Office auditors seems to like visiting Hirafu as much as the tourists – many of the larger gaijin businesses here have been audited once if not twice in the last few years.  As much as anything, it’s an awful drain on resources as it ties up staff in meetings and in digging out …

Niseko Radio

I like to keep up with what’s going on in and around Niseko but the Japanese don’t seem to go in much for fanfares.  Whilst looking at the stunning ice sculptures in Niseko this morning, I first saw one with just numbers on it: 76.2. 

Consumption Tax in Japan

Like many things here, consumption tax in Japan is different from consumption tax elsewhere in some quite fundamental respects. Firstly, the rate is a low 5% and has been so for many years. This means that accounting for consumption tax correctly and promptly is not as critical as it is in most other countries.