* [English Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trgDqVKr3yc): The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan Press Conference (June 22, 2023): “30% of creators in the anime industry in danger of going out of business if this new system is put into effect.” ー Guests: – Masuo Ueda – Anime Producer (44-year industry veteran) who has worked on the Gundam series and many others – Terumi Nishii – Animator, character designer, animation director on many series including Death Note, Jojo, Jujutsu Kaisen – Maya Okamoto – Voice actress for Emma Sheen from Z Gundam – Kyoji Koto – Certified Public Tax Accountant
* Video (Japanese): Detailed presentation by former LDP lawmaker Ando Hiroshi about the problems with the new Invoice System and Japan’s consumption tax (May 25, 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAc-XESZuXo&t=622s
* Video (Japanese): STOP! INVOICE movement demonstration in front of the Japanese Parliament, with lawmakers from 4+ different opposition parties in attendance (June 14, 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQv9ha3dVbI
* The new Invoice System will impact low-income freelancers, sole-proprieters, and small businesses which have been consumption tax-exempt until now. This includes animators, voice actors, artists, vtubers, translators, mangaka, web designers, graphic designers, actors, writers, musicians, taxi drivers, uber delivery drivers, farmers, small restaurants and bars, tutors, and many other professions.
* Having to pay an extra 10% tax may not sound like much to some, but this is the equivalent to taking away an entire month of income per year from someone who already isn’t making a large income, in addition to resulting in greater administrative overhead.
* Additionally, there is the issue of the real names and home addresses of formerly-anonymous creators being doxxed due to this system, as their names and addresses will become public in a government database when they are compelled to register for this system, making them susceptible to stalkers and other harassment.
* Even if you’re not a freelancer or small business, the new system will likely result in increased electricity costs for everyone, due to the additional consumption tax burden from formerly tax-exempt home solar panel electricity sales being pushed onto the average consumer as explained in this video (Japanese): https://twitter.com/momotro018/status/1645065987233046528
The new system is on track to begin on October 1st this year, unless activists are somehow able to get it delayed or cancelled.
Why tax the rich when you can tax the lower half of society? /s
Fuck. I’ve been freelancing (media content) for a few years now in Tokyo and I get rekted every year by taxes and health insurance (which I never used), city taxes, etc. All of this while having a japanese accountant. I’m scared.
To be fair, I do not think the goverment purposely targeted small players.
The system is not mandatory for people earning less than 10millions. According of what I heard, even if you go to the tax office, they will tell you, you are not expected to suscribe.
They most likely wanted to target big player which were getting big tax cut as they were claiming having pay consumption tax to their freelance &co while perfectly aware the said freelance &co were not paying it back to the government.
Obviously, that will result in crushing small players as bid players will force the cost on them (forcing them to sign or deducing it from their payment) but, alongside the issue with pen name &co, they just did not think about it.
It’s not just the manga and anime industry that will be affected. Pretty much everyone who is not employed by a company will be, and those who are will also be affected (to a lesser degree). Electricity will go up because of this, for example. Many small businesses and freelancers will go out of business, affecting the entire economy. Most people don’t know or don’t care. Japan will be fucked. But I suppose that’s a feature not a bug. That’s what the LDP want.
5 comments
**More links and resources:**
* [English Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trgDqVKr3yc): The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan Press Conference (June 22, 2023):
“30% of creators in the anime industry in danger of going out of business if this new system is put into effect.”
ー Guests:
– Masuo Ueda – Anime Producer (44-year industry veteran) who has worked on the Gundam series and many others
– Terumi Nishii – Animator, character designer, animation director on many series including Death Note, Jojo, Jujutsu Kaisen
– Maya Okamoto – Voice actress for Emma Sheen from Z Gundam
– Kyoji Koto – Certified Public Tax Accountant
* Japanese article about the above press conference:
https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2283968/full/
* English Article: Japanese manga artists forced to reveal their identities following new law
https://www.sportskeeda.com/anime/japanese-manga-artists-forced-reveal-identities-following-new-law
* English Article from 2022: Manga Industry Survey: Over 20% of Artists Fear Bankruptcy Due to Japan’s New Invoice System
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2022-11-25/manga-industry-survey-over-20-percent-of-artists-fear-bankruptcy-due-to-japan-new-invoice-system/.192250
* English Article: Voice Actor Advocacy Group Streams Animated Videos Explaining Japan’s Controversial Invoice System
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2023-02-27/voice-actor-advocacy-group-streams-animated-videos-explaining-japan-controversial-invoice-system/.195295
* English Article from 2022: Manga Artists, VTubers Fear Japan’s New Invoice System Invites Loss of Privacy
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2022-09-13/manga-artists-vtubers-fear-japan-new-invoice-system-invites-loss-of-privacy/.189600
* English Article from 2022: Will Voice Actors Quit Over Japan’s New Tax Law?
https://unseenjapan.com/voice-actors-japan-tax-law-freelancers/
* Technical Article from 2021 discussing the financial impact of the Invoice System and considerations to avoid violating the Anti-Monopoly Act
https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=c216b6a7-e45a-45e3-8e58-33843d313280
* Video (Japanese): Detailed presentation by former LDP lawmaker Ando Hiroshi about the problems with the new Invoice System and Japan’s consumption tax (May 25, 2023):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAc-XESZuXo&t=622s
* Another video (Japanese) similar to the above:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXufnDt2YxY&t=383s
* Video (Japanese): Presentation by professor Fujii Satoshi about the problems with the new Invoice System (June 6, 2023)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IJaF5cifIk
* Video (Japanese): STOP! INVOICE movement demonstration in front of the Japanese Parliament, with lawmakers from 4+ different opposition parties in attendance (June 14, 2023):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQv9ha3dVbI
* STOP! INVOICE movement:
https://stopinvoice.org
https://twitter.com/STOPINVOICE
https://www.youtube.com/@stop1502
* VOICTION – voice actor advocacy group which opposes the new Invoice System
https://twitter.com/VOICTION
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYB1JA1jGaGDofMzcK7YK0Q
* Change.org petition:
https://www.change.org/p/stop-インボイス-多様な働き方とカルチャーを衰退させるインボイス制度に抗議します
* Tweet chain with simple English explanation about the new system:
https://twitter.com/rpereyda/status/1671985913315094530
—
Addendum:
* The new Invoice System will impact low-income freelancers, sole-proprieters, and small businesses which have been consumption tax-exempt until now. This includes animators, voice actors, artists, vtubers, translators, mangaka, web designers, graphic designers, actors, writers, musicians, taxi drivers, uber delivery drivers, farmers, small restaurants and bars, tutors, and many other professions.
* Having to pay an extra 10% tax may not sound like much to some, but this is the equivalent to taking away an entire month of income per year from someone who already isn’t making a large income, in addition to resulting in greater administrative overhead.
* Additionally, there is the issue of the real names and home addresses of formerly-anonymous creators being doxxed due to this system, as their names and addresses will become public in a government database when they are compelled to register for this system, making them susceptible to stalkers and other harassment.
* Even if you’re not a freelancer or small business, the new system will likely result in increased electricity costs for everyone, due to the additional consumption tax burden from formerly tax-exempt home solar panel electricity sales being pushed onto the average consumer as explained in this video (Japanese):
https://twitter.com/momotro018/status/1645065987233046528
The new system is on track to begin on October 1st this year, unless activists are somehow able to get it delayed or cancelled.
Why tax the rich when you can tax the lower half of society? /s
Fuck. I’ve been freelancing (media content) for a few years now in Tokyo and I get rekted every year by taxes and health insurance (which I never used), city taxes, etc. All of this while having a japanese accountant. I’m scared.
To be fair, I do not think the goverment purposely targeted small players.
The system is not mandatory for people earning less than 10millions. According of what I heard, even if you go to the tax office, they will tell you, you are not expected to suscribe.
They most likely wanted to target big player which were getting big tax cut as they were claiming having pay consumption tax to their freelance &co while perfectly aware the said freelance &co were not paying it back to the government.
Obviously, that will result in crushing small players as bid players will force the cost on them (forcing them to sign or deducing it from their payment) but, alongside the issue with pen name &co, they just did not think about it.
It’s not just the manga and anime industry that will be affected. Pretty much everyone who is not employed by a company will be, and those who are will also be affected (to a lesser degree). Electricity will go up because of this, for example. Many small businesses and freelancers will go out of business, affecting the entire economy. Most people don’t know or don’t care. Japan will be fucked. But I suppose that’s a feature not a bug. That’s what the LDP want.