Japan to ask tax-free stores to report visitors breaking quarantine

Just like CCP. I look forward to the end of this Bad joke.

Going to turn into show me your passport for everything... Foreigners randomly stopped everywhere :(

90% of returnees are residents, so they would not be able to partake of duty-free shopping anyway.

just cancel the Olympics and all these enforcement “problems” vanish.

Does Coates have an exempt status stamp as he only needed to do three days compared to the slaves that must do 14?

now the government also knows what you bought, not only just where and when.

All this to watch some people run around in a circle or jump in the air, on tv from home?

when its 10 mins from your house and you cant go?

For residents its all the nuisances and absurd government overreach, with none of the benefits of being here for it.

And of course once these systems are put in place, they never go away. just repurposed afterwards for something else invasive and annoying.

The government will also ask the stores to provide digital purchase records of violators to the National Tax Agency to ensure travelers follow the quarantine rule

Another example of Japan’s “true colors” to give priority to the Five Rings.

Its to the point now that I dont know that a Japanese competitor would want to be known as 2020(1) Tokyo Olympics gold medalist.

The people are against it and the government and their money focused cronies are ramming it right down the throats of the public while creating more and more abusive restriction of movement and financial monitoring programs.

That again, wont go away after the Olympics.

What quarantine? Three days is long enough, isn't it?

Oh, silly me... that's only if you're holding the country to ransom.

What about Japanese citizens breaking quarantine?

So, this is Japan’s ‘RED carpet’ for foreigners? Threaten and turn away ‘potential’ customers after 18 months of business losses, and/or collect their money first; Then “rat them out’ to “the State”?

We're in for a bumpy ride fellow gaijins!

Disgusting.

What happened to the much touted yet now fabled “Omotenashi” ?

So much for the past months’ media blitz lauding Japan’s modern sensibilities, progressive thinking & societal freedoms.

Here’s the ‘track record’ this week: Pass a measure, rescind it 24 hours later and then, try something, … anything, … and see IF it works?

oh yeah of course get the money first, then turn the paying customer in to the authorities.

Then confiscate the "ill gotten" items and resell them to the next person? with no refunds allowed due to the original customer due to the "criminal" nature of their purchase.

thats a high quality scam right there.

I hereby ask all foreign countries to do the same with Japanese nationals where they are merely requested to abide by quarantines and where it is not punishable by law (except in Japan, where if a foreigner you might have your entry, apparently). The double standards here continue to be appalling.

And here you have it "o... mo... te... na... shi"

Then again people that are breaking quarantine would need to have terrible judgment problems if they showed proof of that just to save a few yen.

don't worry, they'll renege on this TOO, in 24 hours time.....

Another time-tested method is to have staff ‘stake-out’ the airports, then inconspicuously question unsuspecting foreigners with “*Yū wa Nani Shi ni Nippon e?**”, then surveying their activities while in-country. - The results of these ‘investigations’ could be televised at a later date to further *‘shame’ violators?

Don't break quarantine. Or don't get the tax-free option so you don't have to show your passport.

If you enter the country, you have to be in quarantine, and if you are in quarantine, you shouldn’t go to a tax-free shop.

But if you have the right to shop tax-free, then you are not a resident. And if you are not a resident, you cannot enter the country.

Catch-22 for dummies.

Viewing every non Japanese as a potential criminal is not a good look for a country obsessed with how the world sees it. Perhaps they can do one of those ranking telly shows they love so much.

That’s just only statistically irrelevant, even if they would catch some or all of them. It only reveals that they have no plan, no strategy, no working measures installed and now got panicked, wildly beating around and hitting on anything or anyone available.

LOL, you can't make this crap up. Not that I've ever been eligible for tax free shopping here but thanks for the warning nonetheless.

klausdorthToday 04:39 pm JST

What's gonna be next, spy on your foreign neighbor?

You're 17 years too late :

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2004/03/30/issues/downloadable-discrimination/

This is more bs

If I was working in such store I would immediately snitch Coates and Bach both to the government and media if they were in my shop.

Its a great idea. Just the threat may deter some. The idea that it will only get foreign tourists is true but doesn't't make the violators any less guilty.

What about Public Schools where Japanese teachers and Principals are consistently and constantly defying their Boards of Education mask wearing and social distancing mandates?

Oh, never mind...I think i just answered my own question.

Going to turn into show me your passport for everything... Foreigners randomly stopped everywhere :(

Y'all living in Tokyo better have your residency card ready when you walk down the street to 7-11 to get your Jagariko fix.

Borders are close, what are you talking about? Only Japanese can re-enter the country, but foreigners are forbidden!

No wonder the virus is continuing to spread. Idiots who don't quarantine make everything worse for everyone in the future because the only way is stricter enforcement.

So, are Japanese returning to Japan exempt from the 14-day quarantine, because I don't hear Yodobashi Camera or 7-11 being asked to check the passports of Japanese customers? Why stop at only tax-free stores? Oh, that's right, foreigners are sitting ducks.

A petty, overtly discriminatory, oppressive and irrelevant rule that achieves nothing useful. Unless further damaging Japan’s international reputation is the “useful” purpose intended.

I can only assume this was the idea of some myopic pen pusher without an iota of common sense.

don't worry, they'll renege on this TOO, in 24 hours time.....

I don't think they will, after all it doesn't apply to Japanese but the dreaded

gaijins. Won't be surprised If the local media don' t even mention it.

Are they hoping to catch people who are here for the Olympics? Otherwise, this makes no sense. Only residents can enter Japan now, and they’re not eligible for duty free shopping.

If this is intended for the Olympics, they need to make that point much clearer to avoid making it seem like all foreign residents are to blame, and they also need to control the “bubble” much better.

Does Japan try to hypothetically 24/7 or is it just automatic?

I could return to Japan tomorrow but why would I?

The country is in a perilous state over an athletics meet…

'Check the date of entry to Japan in customers' passports and report"

Rest Assure, THEY WILL DO THAT AND LOOSE THE SALES.

This news is hot on the heels of other news, how the same government was asking banks in Japan to "discourage" restaurant and drinking establishments doing business with said banks from breaking the ridiculously bankrupting, science-free and arbitrary rules about the "emergency"...no, no, it does not mean denying them loans or closing their accounts, of course that's just the "public confusion", you see...

The minister had to be "warned" not to "confuse the public" with ideas that, you know, the government was putting pressure on firms to put potentially devastating pressure onto their clients.

Now this. So Friendly, Japan. United By Emotion? lol. What a JOKE! Expect many, many more similarly nefarious government plots to be outed soon...

Japan to ask tax-free stores to report visitors breaking quarantine

There is nothing in the 'pledge' that specifically Staes duty free shopping is prohibited. Nothing that says food shopping is prohibited either.

The government will ask duty-free stores to check the date of entry to Japan in customers' passports and report if they were shopping in violation of the required 14-day quarantine period, sources close to the matter said.

And if the duty-free store clerk makes a mistake?

The government will also ask the stores to provide digital purchase records of violators to the National Tax Agency

What does the National Tax agency have to do with immigration?

That's it--my next re-entry to Japan I'm going to game the system. Think I'm home? Think again.

So tourists can visit Japan now?

Keep going up and up. And deservedly so. Japan has been atrocious during this pandemic.

Karma.

Taken from another thread regarding daily virus numbers, but I think relevant here (mods, why do you keep closing threads and stopping people commenting?)

This action by Japan is another example of xenophobia, and why foreign press isn't picking up on such things?

Viewing every non Japanese as a potential criminal is not a good look for a country obsessed with how the world sees it. Perhaps they can do one of those ranking telly shows they love so much.

How about the plan to check bags at train stations to filter potential terrorists?

Hotels where olympic staff are staying are also spied on by hotel staff, if staff see foreigners leaving their hotels & are not on sanctioned routes they are to inform TOCOG & the cops

I say shop away!

The pledge reads "do not have contact with unspecified persons."

But "contact" and "unspecified persons" is not defined.

The pledge also reads "Avoid sharing small spaces and poorly ventilated spaces with many people."

So, go to the duty free store, do not touch the specific cashier, and make sure the store is well-ventilated and not crowded.

Why not just toss them in jail for quarratine if you're so worried? A Japanese national would never break the rules if course....

...But none of the people who can come in are allowed to go shopping or aren't eligible for duty free? What's the point?

We're in for a bumpy ride fellow gaijins!

Nothing new!

Anyone that has been here for as long as I have, remembers that nearly every fusosan, sento, loads of onsen, stores restaurants, etc.. having sings "no foreigners".

When I got here with my then wife, every fusosan said no Gaijin "go to Ken Corp or Kimi information center they have Gaijin apartments".

Things got way way way better now we seem to be going backwards.

Was going into a well known supermarket in Kawaguchi with my wife when the employee at the entrance pointed to the sign saying masks required, use disinfectant spray and yes " No foreigners". We have been going there for years suddenly I am not wanted.

...But none of the people who can come in are allowed to go shopping or aren't eligible for duty free? What's the point?

To reinforce the virus is from foreigners.

That has been the narrative since the start.

Well done !!..

So gaijins if you don't like it, instead of whine for everythig here, obey the rules, do the required 14-day quarantine period.. Do the right thing !!..

No more tears, grow up, cut the dorama and behave gaijins BEHAVE !!.. loool !!..

You going to ask the government to so the same with Japanese Nationals seeing the vast majority of those entering Japan at this time are not foreigners but Japanese.

Different rules based on your race and nationality.

Some people will gladly defend discrimination.

How have tax free shops are making money during the pandemic since there are no foreign visitors?

As I live close to Akihabara and have to go there for business supplies regularly, I will say the number of people in line at the Tax free cashier or refund counter is really low but somehow there still are people in those lines.

Some are clearly embassy personnel ( we know this by their illegally parked blue license plate cars right in front of the entrance) but the rest not sure where they come from but we still see the occasional large Tour bus dropping off dozens of non Japanese on shopping runs.

This is nothing more than a blatant attempt to put blame of rising numbers again on foreigners. Japan isn’t letting any foreigners in, so how will they get to the duty free shops?

If LDP clowns had spent half the brain to find a solution they would have succeeded but since the start of pandemic their entire thought process is to come up with ingenious ideas to blame non Japanese

zichiToday  11:09 pm JST

When the date of entering Japan is not stamped into the passport (e.g. when using an automated gate at the airport)

The automated gates at Haneda and Narita airports are not in operation.

@zichi

Yes all true but also diplomatic missions in Japan.

When foreign establishments in Japan and their members including ambassadors accredited and stationed in Japan (hereinafter referred to as “the Missions”) purchase goods or receive services at the stores designated by the Commissioner of the National Tax Agency (hereinafter referred to as “Designated Stores”), they can be exempted from consumption tax under certain conditions.

Please be aware that the Missions can purchase goods or receive services at tax-exempted price only at Designated Stores.

https://www.mofa.go.jp/ms/po/page22e_000946.html

When ever I drive by Shibakoen in Tokyo there is a really expensive gas station big sign tax/duty free, always full of diplomatic plate cars.

Now all we're missing is.... actual visiting foreigners. Well as soon as all countries (excluding Japan which is by default flawless) has a spotless covid record we can allow them to visit again.

As no tourists are allowed, every foreigner claiming for no tax at a tax free shop will be deemed suspicious.

This is Olympics related, as those guys after three days can move for work purposes, but after 14 days allowed to move freely

AntiquesavingToday  12:20 am JST

One thing I often suspect is that certain countries embassy staff go out with local residents ( friends or acquaintances) and make purchases using their "diplomatic ID" get the tax free but the actual buyer is a local resident not eligible for tax/duty free.

Oh, absolutely. And when I was stationed in Japan, I made purchases on base for non-sofa status civilians.

Gas prices were about 1/4 of what the foreign diplomats are paying in Tokyo--even tax free.

Discrimination. Olympics chief only had to quarantine for 3 days while everyone else not related to Olympics have to quarantine for 14 days.

Oh, the hypocrisy.

Something odd about this unless i am wrong.

The only people currently able to enter Japan would not be entitled to tax free shopping.

So surely the catch rate on this should be 0%

BlacklabelJuly 10  04:28 pm JST

just cancel the Olympics and all these enforcement “problems” vanish.

They're acting too little, too late. And some of the foreign athletes have turned up positive.