I cannot return the tax refund money as I have already spent it repaying debts and compensating for losses incurred in stock trading.

15 million yen. A lot, but not enough to disappear forever.

"Compensating for losses from stock trading?"

He must be a very bad or very unlucky investor, because the major indexes to date have recovered to their levels of around October. Maybe he put everything into REITs.

I'm confident, politicians use this amount as petty cash. Leave him alone and shred the paperwork. Situation normal. Bueuracrats really need to be more professional.

The moron at the tax office who made the error needs to fix it , not the victim ..........

So lock him up and seize his property.

I don't think that they have debtors' prisons in Japan.

How about the tax office go after all the dirty politicians, starting at the top & working on down, TONS of $$$$ to be collected there, now do your jobs!

They seem to pretty easily forgive corrupt politicians who do FAR worse, and in this case it was the government's mistake. Fire the people who made the mistake, fine. But they should not be demanding the guy give the money back.

They seem to pretty easily forgive corrupt politicians who do FAR worse, and in this case it was the government's mistake.

But this is the way governments work. They are allowed to steal from the workers and taxpayers, but a worker or taxpayer dares to dip in their elite trough of stolen money, they crucify him. You have to know your place with these snakes.

15 million as a tax refund??

How much tax was he paying?

If he has enough income that he’s paying that kind of tax, how profligate must he be to have that kind of debt?

Stock trading is a kind of gambling. Never invest more than you can afford to lose, and do not expect the taxpayer to cover your losses.

If we were talking smaller sums and a person living hand to mouth found himself in the position of being unable to repay a tax rebate paid out in error, I would be more understanding.

But 15 million yen??? You don’t just lose that kind of money.

Well I don'tWell I don't feel sorry for him. I am 60 years old and I know if my spouse had died or if I'm the only one in the household then I should not have received two checks. Whether he can pay it back or not has he feel s, he definitely will have to pay it back. They will put a levy on his home on his car or they will take his SSI if he is getting it.