I live in Japan but traveled through Narita today for an international business trip.
Went to buy something at one of the stores near my terminal while waiting for my flight.
They asked to scan my boarding pass when paying which I thought was weird but didnt think much of it.
Until I was checking the receipt later and realized that I wasnt taxed, looks like what I bought was “duty free”.
My understanding is that as a resident of Japan, I cannot legally buy things that are duty free. As I said I had to scan my boarding pass and paid with a credit card so there is definitely a paper trail leading right to me.
It ended up being about a ¥150 discount, and the logical part of my brain tells me this is not something anyone would actually pursue me for.
The illogical emotional part of my brain makes me think this will put a red flag on my “file” and that when I apply for PR etc. I will get denied for “avoiding taxes” or something.
Does anyone have advice on what to do in this situation?
38 comments
Nothing. Just move on with your life. No one will be coming after you for about 150 Yen.
You are fine, don’t worry about it.
Technically if you are not taking the goods out of Japan you are not eligible to buy duty free. If you are taking the goods out of Japan you are.
Duty free doesn’t depend on residence. If the good are leaving the country they can be bought duty free.
If you bring them back, you need to pay taxes and duties. I believe there is a threshold. Check your customs form when you come back. Fill it out correctly and you will have no problems.
(You will have no problems anyway, but you sound like you need peace of mind. So declare as needed).
You need to reconsider what is a serious crime.
What makes you think that you can’t buy things at a duty-free shop? It would be quite strange to have a criminal enterprise functioning in full view and marked with large signs at major airports and not have the officials notice.
This post was a bigger crime
>It ended up being about a ¥150 discount, and the logical part of my brain tells me this is not something anyone would actually pursue me for.
The logical part of your brain is correct. It should’ve also told you not to use the adjective “serious.”
Is this your first time travelling internationally?
This is normal. Your boarding card shows the folks at the duty free shop that you’re leaving the country, even if only temporarily. So you can buy something tax free.
No heinous crime has been committed.
You’re not supposed to reenter with the tax free thing, which means that you need to eat, drink, or use the thing before reentering Japan.
Just look normal when you come back. It’s not like the Customs & Excise dudes will be waiting for you.
Was it something nice?
I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened – Mark Twain
Thanks for a good laugh, friend 😂 You’ve made my morning
It’s over, m8. The tax agents are on their way as we speak. Run!
*bang bang* “NTA open up!”
Imagine crying because somebody else made a mistake that benefited you. Couldn’t be me
Inspector Sato is on you.
You should surrender to your nearest koban.
Congratulations on your first Duty free shopping.
This is why people wait until their next vacation to buy some pricy products. So they can buy it tax free at airports. Also a good way to buy presents.
The appeal of “duty free” relies on the concept of “consumption.”
The tax you pay when you buy something at a store is called “consumption tax” for this reason. It is on virtually everything because you are expected to “consume” the good after purchase. The idea is that the government provides the means of transaction (a stable currency, banking regulations, roads, electricity, etc.), and therefore is entitled to a slice of that transaction.
At an airport, it is assumed you will consume the good in the other country, so it will be up to THAT government to tax you on it. They usually only do this on addictive articles like booze and tobacco.
If you bought $100 of cigarettes or alcohol at the airport and opened the bag prior to departure, you’d get in a little trouble from the airport because it’s their job to ensure that they are collecting tax on that purchase, and then paying the government. The government doesn’t REALLY care what you personally do because it’s not practical to enforce laws on $50,000 salary Guy Jean versus $100,000,000 a day Narita-san.
If you don’t declare at customs at your point of entry, you might get in trouble if they find out.
Expect the Ghosn welcome on your return.
Better have a double bass case delivered to your Japan residence in advance.
What a good way to start the day with humor. Thank you!
Go to jail. Move directly to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect your 150 yen
Expect 20 to life in prison, if not death sentence.
If anything, the cashier is at fault, not you.
Find some cyanide asap. The Keisatsu death squad is probably en-route at the moment. You will not want to be alive for the torture they will inflict on you. In 6 minutes I will delete this post and replace it with “God damn gaijin ruining the country” so they don’t catch on and come for me too.
I hate this sub.
To be hang till dead!
*”Â¥150 discount”*
As long as you eat your big thing of Toblerone before returning to Japan, and DO NOT even bring one weird little triangle piece back in, you’ll be home free.
Honestly you are fine, as long as there is no paper trail.
If there is a paper trail then you should worry.
You may go to prison the rest of your life and there is nothing that any of us can do about it.
You win idiot of Japan and internet at the same time 🤯
You just went full retard with this post. Congratulations
This post is sarcastic right, right? Please tell me it’s sarcastic.
It’s a little weird because you can get duty free even if you do not leave the country. When I go to Okinawa they always give me duty free even when the ticket says I’m going back to Tokyo, and I always tell them I’m from Tokyo.
This also isn’t a foreign only thing, as my Japanese girlfriend also always gets duty free when we travel, with her flight tickets saying return to Tokyo.
You need to take the earliest plane to Japan and return the 150 yen.
Some people….
Oh no! Jail time for you
I think you should seriously consider taking a vacation. You’ve been here too long and it probably got on your nerves 😟
Relax and stop thinking to much!
I have committed a serious crime too. I took home lots of bacons from the states. TSA opened my luggage and left a note but failed to check the sketchy looking paper bag inside it containing all the maple bacons. Went in undetected in Japan too. I didn’t know it was a crime at the time.
Personally I wouldn’t let it bother you. There is far bigger fish they are looking for. It was an honest mistake and for that small amount I wouldn’t even think about it anymore. Enjoy life reduce your stress.
This post is adorable hahahahahahahahahahaha
> I may have comitted a seious crime […] about a Â¥150 discount
You’re so screwed. I checked and the hit squad has already been dispatched. Hope that 150en was worth it!
the worst thing could be 3 or 4 years in prison… maybe a suspended sentence. if you confess
Guards! Seize him.
You got a 150 discount? Wow.