[From a Housewife's Perspective] The System May Change in June: It's Better to Make Your Furusato Tax Contribution by the End of May!

2019.05.20 published

Are You Participating in Furusato Nozei?

Every year, around the end of the year, Furusato Nozei gets a lot of attention.

It's a system where you can choose to pay a part of your residential tax, determined by your income from January to December, to a municipality other than the one you actually live in. In return for the amount you donate, you receive "return gifts."

Even though you have to pay the residential tax anyway, it's a great benefit to be able to choose where to pay a portion of it and receive return gifts, so everyone is utilizing it.

Many people are likely searching every year for "which return gifts are worth it~~." For those who haven't participated yet, it's a loss (unless you absolutely want to pay taxes to where you currently live).

Changes to the System Starting June

However, as reported in the news every day, there are discussions about Furusato Nozei being a system where "local governments compete for return gifts and fight over tax amounts," and the system is currently under review.

While it's still in the discussion phase and not yet decided, there is a strong possibility that "new rules will be implemented starting in June."

From June 1, new rules such as,

"The content of return gifts is limited to ○○"

"The procurement cost of return gifts must be below ○% of the donation amount"

will be added, and from the taxpayer's perspective, it is expected that "the value of return gifts will decrease."

In particular, regarding the following four municipalities, as they have previously provided excessive (very rewarding) return gifts, it has been determined that "that is a violation of the rules; tax payments should not be concentrated in specific areas." Thus, they are likely to be excluded from the Furusato Nozei system starting June 1.

☑ Koyama Town, Shizuoka Prefecture

☑ Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture

☑ Kokayama Town, Wakayama Prefecture

☑ Miyaki Town, Saga Prefecture

There are various opinions for and against...

There are diverse opinions about this Furusato Nozei system.

☑ The system itself is broken.

☑ It's nonsensical for rules to be added based on emotional arguments.

☑ It would be more exciting if it were left free.

☑ Residential taxes from weaker localities are being taken away.

☑ A system that favors the wealthy should be abolished immediately.

There are many discussions, but I personally thought, "This is a great deal," when I tried the sashimi from Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture, which was truly delicious. I've become a fan of Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture.

➡ I ordered this, and for 60,000 yen, delicious sashimi arrives every month for six months!

I have never donated to the Furusato Nozei for my hometown, Ushiku City, Ibaraki Prefecture, but I feel that it is wonderful to "increase the places I love" or "increase the places I relate to."

Whenever the sashimi from Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture, arrives, a kind lady with a refined voice always calls to ask, "When would you like it to arrive?" I look forward to talking with her.

Since I liked it so much, I've repeated my order several times, and since I've kept that communication going for over a year, I've come to feel as if she's like a relative's aunt, as she is so kind and gentle...!

<Now that I’ve made this long story...>

With new rules added to Furusato Nozei starting June 1,

☑ popular return gift plans

☑ favorite plans that were requested until last year

may be discontinued, so if you want to repeat or want to order before the new rules are added, you should definitely apply by the end of May, or you might regret it.

➡ Save and use points! Check out popular Furusato Nozei on Rakuten in order of review numbers.

Not only food products, but there are many wonderful tableware items, such as Yachimun from Okinawa and Arita ware from Saga Prefecture, so just looking at Furusato Nozei is enjoyable.＊