“National income tax” and “Local inhabitants’ tax” are imposed on individual income. The tax rate is sliding scale according to the individual’s income as follows (progressive taxation system).
“National income tax” and “Local inhabitants’ tax”
| Taxable income | Tax rate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National income tax | Local inhabitants tax | Total | |||
| 0 yen | to | 1,950,000 yen | 5% | 10% | 15% |
| 1,950,000 yen | to | 3,300,000 yen | 10% | 20% | |
| 3,300,000 yen | to | 6,950,000 yen | 20% | 30% | |
| 6,950,000 yen | to | 9,000,000 yen | 23% | 33% | |
| 9,000,000 yen | to | 18,000,000 yen | 33% | 43% | |
| 18,000,000 yen | to | over | 40% | 50% | |
Assuming the individual’s annual salary is 10mil yen, total of National income tax and Local inhabitants’ tax is around 1.8mil yen. Calculation detail as follows.
(Unit: ‘000yen)
| National income tax | Local inhabitants tax | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual salary | 10,000 | 10,000 | |
| Salary income deduction | - 2,200 | - 2,200 | |
| Standard deduction | - 380 | - 330 | |
| Taxable income | 7,420 | 7,470 | |
| Annual tax | 1,070 | 747 | 1,817 |
Assumption:
-No other income than salary
-No spouse / No dependants
| Tax return filing due date | Tax payment due date | |
|---|---|---|
| National income tax | Mar.15, 2011 (no extension is allowed) |
Mar.15, 2011 (Payment due date is extended to around April 20, 2011 without interest charges if the taxpayer uses the “automatic withdrawal system”) |
| Local inhabitants’ tax | No need of tax return filing. (based on the national income tax return, local tax office compute and notice the tax amount in May-Jun 2011) |
1st payment due date: Jun.30, 2011 2nd payment due date: Aug.31, 2011 3rd payment due date: Oct.31, 2011 4th payment due date: Jan.31, 2012 (It is possible to pay all taxes by Jun30) |
Yes, it is true.
Local inhabitants’ tax is saved if you leave Japan by December 31st. Local inhabitants’ tax is imposed on your previous year’s income “if” you have a domicile in Japan as of January 1. Than is to say if you leave Japan on December 31st, 2010, Local inhabitants’ tax is not imposed on your 2010 income. However if you leave on January 1, 2011, even a day of residence in Japan in 2011, then it is imposed on your whole 2010 income.
Even a day of lag time will cause you a very big impact on the taxes so the day you leave is a very big issue.
If your tax status is “Non-permanent resident” and you do not remit the US bank interest to Japan, you do not need to report such non Japan source income as US bank interest. (see below).
| Classification | Japan source income | Non Japan source income | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paid in Japan | Paid outside Japan | Paid in Japan | Paid outside Japan | ||
| Resident | Non-permanent Resident | Taxable | Taxable | Non taxable ( it is taxed if the money is remitted into Japan ) | |
| Permanent Resident | Taxable | ||||
| Nonresident | Taxable | Non taxable | |||
| Classification | Definition | |
|---|---|---|
| Resident | Non-permanent resident | You are considered to be a “Non permanent resident” if you have: - a “domicile” or “residence in Japan for 1 year or more”, (you are regarded to have a “domicile” in Japan if you made a contract with your company to work in Japan for 1 year or more) - no Japanese nationality and - a domicile or residence in Japan for periods in the aggregate 5 years or less in last 10 years. |
| Permanent resident | You are considered to be a “Permanent resident” if you are not non-permanent resident. | |
| Non resident | You are considered to be a “Nonresident” if you do not have a domicile or residence in Japan for one year or more. | |
The source is determined by where you work and not impacted by where the salary is paid. If you worked in Japan for 315days and outside Japan for 50 days, 50days / 365days of your salary is regarded as Non Japan source income. As we explained in Q4 and Q5, if you are Non permanent resident, your salary which is regarded as Non Japan source income is not taxable unless you remit it to Japan.
In general, you need to file the tax return and pay taxes before the day you are leaving. However, if you designate tax representative and delegate the tax matters to the tax representative, the due date will be extent to March 15th. In this case, the tax representative will sign the files in behalf of you. In practical, relatives or tax accountants will be nominated as a tax representative.
This is a rule regulated in US-Japan tax treaty. Many of other tax treaties Japan made with other countries have same rules. 183 days rule says Japan does not impose tax if:
(a) the employee stayed in Japan for less than aggregate 183 days in any 12 month,
(b) the employee’s salary is not paid by Japanese company and
(c) the employee’s salary is not borne by Japanese company
In regard to (a), some of tax treaties calculate 183 days in any 12 month but others calculate it in the calendar year.
In practical, your taxes imposed abroad are paid by the company. Instead, the company calculates your taxes as if you are still working in your home country (so called “hypothetical tax”) and deduct those amounts from your salary. As a result, you are guaranteed to receive the same salary during your assignment in abroad. This system is known as “tax equalization system”.