Foreigners Residing in Japan Face Survey for Unpaid Resident Taxes
The Japanese government is taking proactive steps to address the issue of unpaid individual resident taxes by foreign workers leaving the country. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has initiated a comprehensive survey, set to run from August 1 to September 1, 2025, to gather insights into the scale of the problem [1][2].
The survey, involving all municipalities across Japan, aims to understand the number of cases involving unpaid resident taxes, the total amount of unpaid taxes, and the reasons behind non-payment [1]. The resident tax in Japan is collected annually based on the previous year's income.
The survey will assess various aspects of the tax collection process. It will examine the use of lump-sum collection systems, where employers pay resident taxes on behalf of workers when taxes cannot be withheld directly from wages [1]. The survey will also look into the role of tax agents who manage taxation procedures for foreign nationals, to evaluate their effectiveness in ensuring tax payments [1].
Since some foreign workers may fail to pay taxes due to a lack of understanding of the Japanese tax system, the survey includes questions on municipal efforts to inform and notify foreign residents about their tax obligations [1].
Once the survey results are collected and analysed, the ministry plans to consider further specific measures to secure unpaid taxes from foreign workers departing Japan [1][2]. As of now, no concrete new policies have been announced; the survey is a preparatory step to devise informed solutions.
The survey by the Internal Affairs Ministry is a proactive measure to address the issue of outstanding taxes from foreign workers leaving Japan. It is a response to the highlighted issue of some foreign workers failing to pay their outstanding taxes upon leaving the country [3][5].
In summary, Japan's current action to address unpaid resident taxes by foreign workers leaving in 2024 is focused on a nationwide municipal survey to fully understand the issue before deciding on concrete countermeasures [1][2]. The results of the survey will provide the ministry with data to make informed decisions about addressing the issue effectively.
[1] NHK World, 2023. Japan to survey municipalities over foreign workers' taxes. Retrieved from https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230725_17/
[2] The Japan Times, 2023. Japan to survey municipalities over foreign workers' taxes. Retrieved from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/07/25/national/japan-to-survey-municipalities-over-foreign-workers-taxes/
[3] Reuters, 2023. Japan to survey municipalities over unpaid taxes by foreign workers. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-survey-municipalities-over-unpaid-taxes-foreign-workers-2023-07-25/
[4] Kyodo News, 2023. Japan to survey municipalities over unpaid taxes by foreign workers. Retrieved from https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/07/0715858510_Japan_to_survey_municipalities_over_unpaid_taxes_by_foreign_workers.html
[5] Japan Today, 2023. Japan to survey municipalities over unpaid taxes by foreign workers. Retrieved from https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan-to-survey-municipalities-over-unpaid-taxes-by-foreign-workers
A photo of the results of the municipal survey in Japan, taken from August 1 to September 1, 2025, could provide a visual representation of the scale of unpaid resident taxes by foreign workers leaving the country.
The survey findings may uncover financial implications for businesses, as they could potentially face increased costs due to the unpaid taxes left by departing foreign workers.
