Cash handout program won't start soon in many cities

Alas, I suspect for many this is too little...too late.

A lot of rent is not going to be paid this month...

But many municipalities are also busy implementing steps to contain the virus under the nationwide state of emergency, which is almost certain to be extended for another month through early June.

If the municipal offices around the country are anything like the one I live in, there are plenty of people who are sitting on their arses with their thumbs up their bums doing absolutely nothing, as everyone, for the most part where I live anyway, are staying home.

Put them to work!

The municipal government of Wakayama in western Japan is aiming to provide the money this month, saying its officials are working to that end without taking days off.

Ahhh...cry me a river why dont you! Koumuin having to work on a day off! Get off your high horse and get to work taking care of the people who actually pay your salaries! US the taxpayers here!

If I lived in Wakayama, I would be talking with whomever this "official" is here and tell them to keep their fat mouths shut!

This is almost criminal how long it is taking to make these payments. People are really hurting, but there is still no help in sight. Of course if you are working for the local government, you aren't worried as you are already getting your full salary! Why is it, many other countries have already been able to make not one but two payments to its citizens, but in Japan, many people will be lucky to get anything by June. Just wait and see, if things begin to settle down, I wouldn't be surprised to hear some places say they won't distribute the money but keep it for some unforeseen emergency, and then it is pocketed by corrupt officials!

I can just imagine the paperwork we will have to complete to get the money. My MIL's brother was a "tokotai" during WWII and every five years she has to fill out a stack of paperwork to get a measly 50K yen a year compensation...

Why is it, many other countries have already been able to make not one but two payments to its citizens, but in Japan, many people will be lucky to get anything by June.

The Japanese government is loathe to give money handouts to the people unless there is an election season. If you have been around here a while, there were two other times that the government paid out either cash or "coupons" to the taxpayers, and they coincided with elections.

Just wait and see, if things begin to settle down, I wouldn't be surprised to hear some places say they won't distribute the money but keep it for some unforeseen emergency, and then it is pocketed by corrupt officials!

There is no way any "officials" can pocket any money as you are theorizing here. It wont happen. Many municipalities are fronting the cash themselves and making payments to the people NOW, and will return the money to their coffers when the government money comes in.

Peoples need money to buy foods and pay rent. The politicians are out of touch and they don't understand the hardships of people life of during the coronavirus out break. No job no money and hopeless also, depressed.

A lot of people seem to be confused about the reason for this ‘cash’ handout. It’s not designed to help struggling people, it’s designed to help the struggling economy.

Many of those struggling cities said it will take time to create and send necessary documentation to households.

They should have been working on it already, and there are more than enough people to get this work done, all they have to do is brush off the paperwork from the last handout, update it, and get it out to the people.

The problem is with the "online" applications, paper one's could be done in a few days to a week at most. As the government has already put out the form to be used, they just need to copy it, print it and send it.

Granted it will take longer in larger areas, but smaller one's should have no excuse for not getting it out within a couple of weeks at the most. IF they work during the "stay home week" that is!

I read yesterday that when people started to apply for the cash online with their “my number”, the Lone Server was just as slow as these municipalities, it couldn’t cope. People also complained that a PC or smartphone with card reader (NFC function) was necessary. In 2009 the authorities had no problem mailing everybody a check for 12,000 Yen, so they knew where you were. It’s too late for many, but perhaps they could have done something similar this time around.

 In 2009 the authorities had no problem mailing everybody a check for 12,000 Yen, 

They didnt mail checks, Japan doesnt use checks! They were coupons that could be used at specific locations and were not "cash".

This is interesting

Kobe is also one of the 29, saying it is planning to send application forms to households with children first to ensure that families in need will receive necessary documents quickly.

The intention here is very good. I guess if you do not have kids it is not good. There are alot of single mothers in Japan who are having a tough time making ends meet.

I wish they would have stuck with the original plan to give more (300k) to those who really need it rather than spreading 100k to all.

they need to do one thing right. after mask mess, can those payment those who need it ASAP

I wish they would have stuck with the original plan to give more (300k) to those who really need it rather than spreading 100k to all.

Yeah then all the people who are living alone would have not gotten anything at all! That "plan" was for people with families, and thankfully it did not go through.

The intention here is very good. I guess if you do not have kids it is not good.

Right and even YOU say it yourself, if the "original" plan went through, like YOU wanted it too, these folks would have gotten nothing.

In my house we are actually going to receive DOUBLE the 300,000 as there are 6 living here. Under "this" plan we are being helped out even more. And my next door, single neighbor, will be getting cash too!

I got my $1,200 from the IRS within about 3 weeks of the legislation passing. And without doing any paperwork.

The problem in Japan is that the national government is running this through local governments instead of through the Tax Agency. Because the TA already knows how many dependents you have, as well as your bank info, anybody who has filed taxes could get their money quickly. Those who didn’t file could then apply in other ways.

Can’t pay my rent due end of last month.

A lot of people seem to be confused about the reason for this ‘cash’ handout. It’s not designed to help struggling people, it’s designed to help the struggling economy.

It's designed to do both, actually. The execution of it has to be much better to help either.

I’m down in Fukuoka City and can confirm for people with the plastic version of the My-Number card (Denshi Shomeisho) they could apply for the assistance payment as of yesterday.

We did it ourselves. Thankfully, my spouse is Japanese and we could navigate the process, convoluted doesn’t begin to explain it!

I’m not sure if there’s other languages supported or not. I’m not sure I could have done it in English either!!

myna.gojp

On iPhone, you need to download the app called, ‘myna portal’ マイナポータル.

The phones camera will read your plastic My-Number card through this app.

Also, one of either your your bank card, banking book or online banking statement are needed.

8 steps to the process.

From the last govt handouts paperwork, I imagine they can’t use them due to them not having the Reiwa option in the date section. Incinerate, remake, print out... all takes time, as well as the massive paperwork involved in getting that happening. Terry Gilliam’s Brazil.

Matches the spotty implementation of the quasi-"lockdown". Even the morning media shows were contrasting this to the New Zealand approach: weekly payments of 36,000 rolling out before the strict lockdown and a drastic and timely flattening of the curve.

This is criminal. People need money now. How this national government has been dilly-dallying to get to this point is a model of incompetence. I live next to a river and at least two people have suicided last week. I fear this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

Pardon my cynicism but, I have a felling some of the prefectures will try to weasel their way out of making these payments if Abe lifts the state of emergency. They are claiming paperwork is the reason for the holdup, but they are holding off in the hope they won't have to make these payments. People are starving and being evicted, but they have to just suck it up in the land of little red stamps. TIJ!

@Yubaru

Hey - lighten up...nothing personal just an opinion.

In my house we are actually going to receive DOUBLE the 300,000 as there are 6 living here.

Does this include kids? Does the 100k go to adults and children? I thought it was only going to the adults such that a household would get 200k max.

Why on earth is this a headline?

I was interested to hear that the first place to hand out the money started by giving it to over 75s. Presumably few over 75s will have incomes that are that affected by Covid-19, so we can assume they did this as a move to alleviate elderly poverty. Which is appropriate and noble of course, but speaks of deep-set problems in society aside from Covid-19.

The whole point of giving everyone the same money and not targeting it is to get the money out there fast. Governments should be ashamed of themselves for not doing this, and voters should remember the next time at the ballot box. Remember also that these payments are being organized by public sector employees whose salaries and bonuses are completely unaffected by Covid 19. Any delay in payment won't affect them one jot. I have even heard people argue that komuin should not get the 100,000 yen themselves because they are still getting paid as normal.

I find this discussion tiresome, but the problem was the word 国民 (kokumin). It is a word for the people which by definition excludes foreigners. If the government used a different word for "the people", like 住民, no-one would make accusations about or worry about discrimination. If the government is going to be stupid (or provocative) enough to use discriminatory words, then people are going to be worried about discrimination. This will happen every single time the word 国民 is used. Its like British people calling the country "England".

I reckon the Japanese government uses the word kokumin as dog whistle racism to appease the far right. Foreigners are getting this money, but out of grace or kindness, not out of absolute right.

I hate to be a cynic but I don't think there was ever a serious intention of implementing the cash handout program. I think people were hoping that the emergency shutdown would be over before it could be implemented. Now that the (disastrous) decision to extend the emergency shutdown will likely be made on Monday, the government is now between a rock and a hard place.

I hate to be a cynic but I don't think there was ever a serious intention of implementing the cash handout program. I think people were hoping that the emergency shutdown would be over before it could be implemented. Now that the (disastrous) decision to extend the emergency shutdown will likely be made on Monday, the government is now between a rock and a hard place.

The money handout was decided long before the extension was decided. And it's not the government that is stuck, now it's in the hands of the local municipalities to implement it!

The whole point of giving everyone the same money and not targeting it is to get the money out there fast. Governments should be ashamed of themselves for not doing this, and voters should remember the next time at the ballot box. 

And it woulnt make one bit of difference as the people who implement this are not elected officials. Your complaint is misguided!

There are communities that are already handing it out because of need in their own areas, and their LOCAL governments are using their OWN funds to pay it. The money from the government will cover those costs at a later date!

This was just decided upon TWO DAYS ago, and already people were receiving money because their municipalities are paying for it, NOT the national government!

@Yubaru. And perhaps that's where they knew it would die....

they want to keep the money until this is over and stores and pachinko and bars are open so that people will spend it on consumer items as soon as they get it.

Some people need this money now for food and rent. June or later? useless.

@Blacklabel. "Some people need this money now for food and rent. June or later? useless." I could not agree more. If Japan won't let people work, why not just suspend all debt payments (mortgages, loans, etc.) until this crisis is over?

You’d think that with the power of automation, this could be done relatively easily. Sure, it’s not simple, but the fact they seem to want to make this a manual task of paper, envelopes, sending, receiving, opening envelopes, inputting data, etc etc. is the main reason for delays.

@kohakuebisu

You make valid points.

And there were Japanese, including those in the LDP against the idea that only Japanese should receive monetary help.

In fact, ask most Japanese to define 国民 and they won’t include foreigners in their answer.

So 1990s using paperwork and cash society methods. Japan will miss out on the greatest opportunity to enter 2020. It’s all downhill from here...

June 2020 handout for a March lockdown is outrageous but not surprising at all either.

This was just decided upon TWO DAYS ago, and already people were receiving money because their municipalities are paying for it, NOT the national government!

Yubaru, if you are talking about the payouts, this has been going on since mid-March, but they keep delaying and stalling. And yes you are correct a few, very few tiny hamlets with less than 1000 people are handing out the money and they will be reimbursed when they finally get paid by the national government. But most cities have said it will take until June before any money will be paid out. And I still think that a one time payment of Y100 000 is far too little for what people are experiencing.

When talking about population, the government always gives two numbers, the number of kokumin (Japanese) and the number of residents, which is about two to three million larger. In official usage like this "kokumin" excludes foreigners.

As a long term permanent resident who received the 10,000 yen after the GFC, I fully expected to receive this money this time too with no discrimination. The question remains why the word "kokumin" had to be used when everyone knows what it means. It invites discussion and normalizes doubt on whether non-kokumin should get the money, as could be seen on Twitter within five minutes of the original announcement.

zichi

https://myna.go.jp/SCK0101_01_001/SCK0101_01_001_InitDiscsys.form

English available

Unless I'm missing something, English is available only on the top page. Click any link and it's Japanese. Better than nothing I guess.

Sorry, need to learn how to use the quote function correctly.

Is it common in Japan to have a smartcard reader? Regarding the smartphone app, if you have an iPhone then you're good to go otherwise it's only available for a small subset of compatible local Android phones.

I have the My Number/Individual Number card but my Android phone is not in the list so I cannot install the app. Annoying. It's not rooted or anything so I don't see why they need to have a list like this. My Phone works fine for mobile payments, banking apps etc.

When are the application forms being mailed out? Have you received yours?

zichi

SQ

checkout the link for the COVID-19: Cash Handout for Residents in Japan and How to Fill Out the Form

Shows you how to fill out.

Thank you.

I'm in no rush to apply, I still have my job and am being paid my full salary (for now) so I will not submit. I'm just interested to see what the Mynaportal is about and if it provides any useful information/features in general.

My girlfriend though has reduced wages of 80%. Her wage was already pretty low and on a contract basis every 6 months and she's worried they will not renew it. So I will help her apply for it,

I just got the papers today! Hang in there!

Does this include kids? Does the 100k go to adults and children? I thought it was only going to the adults such that a household would get 200k max.

There are currently 6 adults in my house, so, they all qualify.

I image government employees whose salaries are uneffected will be the first to receive payment.

They're pretty damn quick in taking my money all the time but pretty damn slow in giving me any.

By the way, I get zero from my government because my spouse has an ITIN Number rather than a social security number.

So, gaijin here in Japan are least going to get something although a pile of paperwork just like the pension system paperwork. 3 cm thick.

So, gaijin here in Japan are least going to get something although a pile of paperwork just like the pension system paperwork. 3 cm thick.

Read the links posted, you will not have to file a ton of paperwork, one page or two, that's it, and there are English instructions as well in the link.

Thanks Yubaro.

Well, my rent is due in 3 days, so that's not particularly helpful. And who knows what will happen after this one time payment gets used up by paying 80%~ of my monthly bills.

What's taking them so long to do the documentation work?

Individuals can be easily identified by their 'my number' now.

All you need is a copy of my number card, and maybe some supplementary ID card such as drivers license, and bank info.

"What's taking them so long to do the documentation work? Individuals can be easily identified by their 'my number' now." Excellent point! I thought the whole reason behind the "My Number" movement was to streamline these kinds of things.

What's taking them so long to do the documentation work?

In two days? Inclusive of a weekend? During Golden Week? In Japan?

Ya'll must be at DIsneyland!

Among other municipalities, eight including Shizuoka, Osaka and Hiroshima said they are aiming to start distributing the handouts in June or later, while 10 including Sapporo, Nagoya, Yokohama and Tokyo's Shinjuku said they were unable to clearly state when they would start.

Looks like the handouts will reach some receipients after the COVID-19 is over!

"Among other municipalities, eight including Shizuoka, Osaka and Hiroshima said they are aiming to start distributing the handouts in June or later..."

And meanwhile I have no doubt our residence and health insurance taxes will be shipped out on time, and we'll be asked to pay at least the first installment within a month, as always. Well, I'm not paying any taxes like that until we get what was promised us. I knew this was going to happen, and have been saying so since they screwed us on the 300,000 and reduced it to 100,000 even for little kids. My drunken neighbor, who doesn't work but will still get this money, is going to be upset -- he might be running out of beer.

TomToday 03:07 pm JST

By the way, I get zero from my government because my spouse has an ITIN Number rather than a social security number.

True an ITIN holder won't get a stimulus check. But a SSN holder will. Why won't you get one as an individual even if your spouse won't?

If you are 青深刻 a blue tax status

i.e freelance or small business you are also able to get additional support if your income is 50%+ down

Call 0120 115 570

To get the application forms and information

Payment is promised with two weeks of submission.

"""Among other municipalities, eight including Shizuoka, Osaka and Hiroshima said they are aiming to start distributing the handouts in June or later"""

Obviously the officials in these cities are NOT in any financial bind, and don't care if and when the needy gets it.

People are suffering and the city officials are prolonging the distribution of the cash handouts! 1-2 weeks for processing is reasonable. Even a maximum of 1 month is somewhat acceptable. But many people might get it around July which is so late for desperate people! Some have lost their only source of income and struggling to pay rents and bills. Some are surviving on their savings. This 100,000 yen could be a cushion but the city officials lack skills to do their jobs in a productive way! They are acting like they are handing out a million yen to each citizen!

They will be processing basically the application of all residents, that would take a considerable amount of time.

If we apply online it will be a lot quicker not just because the application will be processed to some degree with automation but in large part because we would be among the firsts to submit.

青深刻 a blue tax status

That’s 青色申告

True an ITIN holder won't get a stimulus check. But a SSN holder will. Why won't you get one as an individual even if your spouse won't?

Because they arent citizens or they did not file a tax return last year!