NHK fees

[xpid]

Like the United Kingdom(England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), If you own a TV set in Japan, whos purpose is to watch televised programmes over the air, by a paid service(Cable and Satellite), then by law YOU DEFINITELY NEED A TV LICENCE!!!!!!!!!! AND PAID EVERY MONTH!!!!!!!!!!!!

In the UK, the fine for not obtaining a TV licence or not paying the fee every year as the British law states will be up to 1000 sterling pounds. But in Japan, they're even bigger:

1. Fines from 500M to 1.36B yen
2. Confiscation of the TV set
3. Imprisoment from 15-50 years(Prefecture dependant)

If you don't have it up-to-date, you're watching whilst others pay, and at the same time, RISKING BIG PENALTIES!!!!!!!




"TV Licence evasion: never fair, never right, ALWAYS ILLEGAL"

[Sangetsu]

In the 8 months I've been here I have had no problems. A few months ago a woman knocked at my door, when I answered she said something in Japanese and "NHK". I knew she was there to collect the license money for my television (which I never watch). I pretended not to understand Japanese (not difficult), and after trying her best to explain to me that I was supposed to pay the license fee, she gave up and left. So far she has never come back.

I was not fined, my tv was not confiscated, and I'm not in jail.

[Altaru]

What about if the only reason you own a TV is for the sake of playing game systems, or DVD players, etc., and you don't have cable or anything to watch on it?

[xpid]

You didn't understood the 3rd paragraph i wrote

[xpid]

Originally Posted by Sangetsu

In the 8 months I've been here I have had no problems. A few months ago a woman knocked at my door, when I answered she said something in Japanese and "NHK". I knew she was there to collect the license money for my television (which I never watch). I pretended not to understand Japanese (not difficult), and after trying her best to explain to me that I was supposed to pay the license fee, she gave up and left. So far she has never come back.

I was not fined, my tv was not confiscated, and I'm not in jail.

Expect the sufferment someday, for the evasion scheme

[xpid]

Originally Posted by Altaru

What about if the only reason you own a TV is for the sake of playing game systems, or DVD players, etc., and you don't have cable or anything to watch on it?

You didn't understood the 3rd paragraph i wrote

[MMM]

I lived there for over three years and not once did anyone ask for money from NHK (the government sponsored public stations).

I never had a license to watch TV, either.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by xpid

Expect the sufferment someday, for the evasion scheme

Most gaijin I know do this, and not one has ever paid a yen for public TV, nor have they ever been fined.

I would like to see if you can find evidence of anyone ever paying a fine like that.

[samurai007]

Originally Posted by Sangetsu

In the 8 months I've been here I have had no problems. A few months ago a woman knocked at my door, when I answered she said something in Japanese and "NHK". I knew she was there to collect the license money for my television (which I never watch). I pretended not to understand Japanese (not difficult), and after trying her best to explain to me that I was supposed to pay the license fee, she gave up and left. So far she has never come back.

I was not fined, my tv was not confiscated, and I'm not in jail.

Yep, I did the same thing. The first year I really was puzzled and wasn't sure what they wanted (but found out later from talking to some friends). The 2nd year I understood enough, but played dumb anyway, and they soon gave up and moved on to the next apartment. No penalties and they never came back.

[spicytuna]

Interesting...

So how much is the licensing fee?