Sankei Shimbun Internal government documents reveal that in some municipalities， permanent residents are three times as likely to be behind on taxes as Japanese residents， and some may even have their status revoked．

Internal government documents released on the 19th revealed that in some municipalities, the rate of non-payment of resident taxes and national health insurance premiums among foreigners with permanent residency status is three to four times higher than that of Japanese people. This is the first time that the actual situation regarding tax arrears by permanent residents has been revealed in detail. Under the revised Immigration and Refugee Recognition Act that came into force in June, their permanent residency status may be revoked. The appropriateness of the screening process for permanent residency, which grants foreigners the same rights as Japanese nationals, is likely to be called into question. The Sankei Shimbun obtained internal documents that the government submitted to the director of the House of Councillors’ Judicial Affairs Committee in May during the deliberation process for the revised Immigration and Refugee Act. According to the document, the government surveyed seven local governments regarding the payment status of taxes and national health insurance premiums by permanent residents. In one municipality, as of the end of November 2023, approximately 9% of Japanese households were in arrears with their national health insurance premiums, while approximately 28% of foreign households and approximately 29% of permanent resident households were in arrears. As of the same month, the rate of unpaid resident tax payments for Japanese people was approximately 4%, compared to approximately 20% for foreigners and approximately 18% for permanent residents. Another local government conducted a survey to determine how much national health insurance premiums were being paid on a monetary basis. While Japanese people paid about 96% of the amount they were due, the figure for foreigners overall was about 78%, and for permanent residents alone, it was only about 83%. There have also been confirmed cases where people paid local resident tax for the year that was required to be submitted to the government when applying for permanent residency, and then fell into arrears again after approval. In the revised Immigration and Refugee Recognition Act enacted in June, the government added non-payment of taxes and other issues to the requirements for revoking permanent residency status, citing problems such as non-payment of taxes by permanent residents. The opposition parties protested, saying the claims were “baseless.”

＜独自＞永住者の税金滞納、一部自治体で日本人の3倍に　政府内部資料で判明、資格剥奪も

永住資格のある外国人の住民税や国民健康保険料の滞納率が一部の自治体で日本人の3～4倍に上ることが19日、政府の内部資料で分かった。永住者による税金滞納の実態が…

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