Most of us consider filing a tax return a not-so-pleasant, but unavoidable part of life. And some of us are lucky enough to have a company or tax accountant do it for us, but some of us find ourselves needing to figure it out ourselves.
And if you are reading this, I assume you are in the latter group. So here is some information to help you get started.
Disclaimer: I am not an expert on tax in Japan and nothing here should be considered legal advice. This is to help give an overview of the main points so you have an idea of where to start.
Who needs to file a tax return?
In general, salary earners do not need to file their own tax returns. So if you are employed by a company, they will usually do it for you.
But if you are an independent contractor, or free-lancer, you will have to file your tax return under the Self-Assessment system.
What is taxable and claimable also depends on your status in Japan.
Reference information
When are tax returns due in Japan?
Tax is calculated based on the figures from Jan 1 and Dec 31, and the period of filing the tax return is from February 16 to March 15 the following year.
How to file a tax return
Either Form A or B will need to be filled out.
There are also other forms, like the Expense form as well.
The National Tax Agency documents can be download directly from their website here, but if you have filed your taxes before, you will receive all the documents by mail.
Once the forms have been filled out, they will then need to be submitted.
Pro Tip
The tax office where you can submit your documents is directly related to your place of residence. So check which one you have to go to beforehand! There can be more than one in that ward, and if you go down to the wrong one, they will not let you submit the paperwork.
This happened to me once! And I can tell you it was not fun – I stood in line for a good amount of time, only to have the person at the counter tell me that I was in the wrong tax office! 😭
What to prepare
For starters, you will need to calculate all your receipts and have those figures ready. You will also need to get your Tax Slips from all the companies you are working at. This is either called gensenchoshuhyou (源泉徴収票) or shiharai chousho (支払調書), depending on whether you are classed as an employee or not.
And if you are going to the Tax Office, you will also need your myNumber information.
If you need help with the forms
For those filing their taxes under the Self-Assessment system, there are two main ways people get help with the tax forms. One, from friends and the internet, and Two, from the tax people at the tax office.
And if you choose to get assistance from the the tax office staff, you will just need to go down a bit earlier and tell them that you need help. You will then usually be instructed to go to a separate area, where a different group of staff will then assist you. So don’t join a queue before knowing what queue it is!
Where to file your tax return
This can be done Online, by mail or directly at a Tax office.
Useful information
- National Tax Agency Call Centre numbers
- Tax Office locator (Japanese)
- National Tax Agency (Japanese)
- e-Tax (Japanese)
When is the tax return deadline?
March 15
If you miss the tax return deadline
If March 15 comes and goes and you still have not filed your taxes, you can still go down to the Tax Office after that and do it. But, according to the National Tax Agency website, delinquent tax or additional tax can be imposed.
Final thoughts
Calculating and Filing taxes can be quite stressful and tiring, so the earlier you can get it done, the quicker you will be able to relax. And the bonus, is that the earlier you submit it, the earlier you will get your tax refunds, if any are owed to you.
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