Domestic Issues (Leaving Japan)

From ShimaneJET Wiki

Call all the companies you pay bills to and tell them that you want to close your accounts by a specific date. For water, gas and electric bills, you can arrange to have them come by with cash-payable bills. The company’s contact information can be found on your monthly bill.
If you are paying by direct deposit, you will need to leave ample money in your account and let it be withdrawn automatically. Refer to prior bills to estimate how much your final bill will cost, then add extra money to ensure you have enough in your account to cover the bill. You should give a trusted Japanese friend or supervisor your inkan, bank book and cash card, which will allow them to close your bank account after your bills have been paid. It’s a good idea to have your Japanese contact call your bank and confirm the procedure.

Please remember that your bills are your responsibility! Please don’t leave your successor or work place to deal with your unpaid obligations.

Forwarding your mail

In forwarding your mail (郵便転送 yūbin tensō) you have two options available:

You can ask someone at your CO, office or a friend who is staying in Japan to use their address to forward your mail to. All of your mail will be forwarded to them for one year, and they in turn can send you the important items. If you want to continue having your mail forwarded after the first year, you must fill out a form for each consecutive year after.
You can use your overseas address and ONLY international mail will be forwarded to your home country. Any mail that is sent to you from within Japan will be returned to the sender. Any international mail that is forwarded to your overseas address will incur an additional postage charge.

When you have made your decision, visit your local post office and pick up a Change of Address Notice (転居届け tenkyo todoke) postcard. Fill it out and if you’re at your LOCAL post office, give it to the postal employee. If you don't go to your local branch, tell the employee where you live and they can assist you with filling out the address of your local post office. Don't forget to take your inkan!

Sending stuff home

Now it’s time to package up all those things you bought throughout your time in Japan. It’s best to start EARLY and figure out what you want to take with you, and what you will leave behind. Keep in mind that it is VERY expensive to ship things internationally from Japan, so be selective in what you bring home.

Shipping options

There are several options available to send packages to your home country or your next destination:

Japan Postal Service - if you haven’t accumulated too many things, this is usually the cheapest and very reliable. They also provide a very cheap rate for books/printed material.
Shipping Companies - if you have larger volumes to send home or bulky, fragile and odd-shaped items.
Takyubin (宅急便 takkyūbin) Service - this is an affordable option if you find yourself unable to carry all of your luggage to the airport. You can use the domestic takyubin service to send your belongings ahead of time to the airport or hotel you will be staying at. This service can be accessed through most convenience stores and other spots where you may see either the "Black Cat" (クロネコヤマト Kuro neko Yamato) or "Pelican" (ペリカン便 Perican-bin) signs.

Remember your baggage allowance limits when flying back to your home country. For North, South and Central America you are allowed two pieces not to exceed 32kgs each. For most other countries, it is 20kgs TOTAL. If go over your allotted kilos, you pay for each kilo over, and it is expensive!

Japan Postal Service

Surface mail has long been considered one of the best ways to get your things home, if you have a reasonable amount of items to send. There are two different categories: printed matter (books) and parcel post.

To avoid delay, it is best to leave your parcels unsealed until the post office inspects them. The one exception is for books, which may be sealed beforehand. For all items you must fill out an international parcel label, which is a combination invoice, customs declaration and address label.

If you want your items to arrive quicker, but don’t want to pay the rates of first-class postage, consider using SAL (economy air). Your packages go by air, but not express service, they are sent when there is space available on a cargo plane. Delivery time is usually around two to three weeks.

There are strict regulations regarding international packages, and to save yourself some trouble, it is suggested you go to your post office and show them the boxes you plan to use. This way you won’t have to unpack and use smaller ones if yours are too big.

Here are several guidelines:

For packages up to 20kg, the sum of all dimensions must not exceed 3 meters. The length must not exceed 1.5 meters OR the sum of all dimensions must not exceed two meters. The length must not exceed 1.05 meters.
You receive a 10% discount if you mail ten or more packages at a time. If sending 50 packages or more, you receive a 20% discount. This discount applies to packages in the same shipment going to different destinations.
Air, SAL and surface packages may be insured upon request. Insurance varies according to destination, but the cost of insurance can’t exceed the value of the package. The first ¥20,000 value of your package costs ¥400 to insure, and each ¥20,000 thereafter costs ¥50. Although a proof of value isn’t required when purchasing insurance, it’s nearly impossible to make an insurance claim without one. Receipts or photos serve as valid proof.
International packages can be insured for a maximum of ¥21,710 per item, depending on weight: 5kg = ¥8,810, while 20kg = ¥21,710.

Visit the JAPAN POST website at: http://www.post.japanpost.jp/english/index.html

Private Freight Shipping Companies

Using a shipping company is ideal if you have large quantities to send home. It’s generally well-handled and ideal for sending home those odd-sized items, as long as it fits with the shipping company’s size restrictions.

Although your items are usually insured, it’s always best to carry valuables with you, as you never know what might happen along the way. Make sure to shop around, the prices can vary considerably.

Here is some advice before you start calling the shipping companies:

Start early, the companies like 2-3 months notice, with 1 month being a minimum. The company needs to gauge the volume of your move, which allows them to quote a price, check shipping schedules and container space. Both air and sea freight are available, but air is very expensive.
Remember, freight is usually calculated by VOLUME not weight, so it’s better to send heavy items in small boxes by freight, and leaving lighter/bulkier ones to parcel post.
The best measure in looking for a shipping company is to seek a ‘door-to-door’ delivery price per a given unit of volume, i.e., one cubic meter, depending on the mode of transportation. Make a comprehensive list of things going home. The base-shipping unit is a cubic meter, about seven large suitcases.
Insurance – All moving companies offer coverage. Check the restrictions, some shipping companies must do the packing. Be sure to ask about the deductible (the amount for which you are liable before the coverage takes effect) and where the insurance is payable. If you claim against a company in Japan, you will spend more time and money than you receive in compensation. Make sure your items are well-recorded with descriptive lists, photos, estimates and receipts, to make a quicker insurance claim. Keep the originals and send copies to relatives or friend at your destination.

Shipping Companies

All of these companies have an English website and English speakers available to answer your questions:

Company Name	Contact Information
Nippon Express	Phone: 0120-1504-22 http://www.nipponexpress.com
Economove Japan	Phone: 0120-981-862 Email: jet@economovejapan.com http://www.economovejapan.com See http://www.jetsetjapan.com for more information and discounts.
Econoship	Phone: 0120-222-111 Email: info@econoship.net http://www.econoship.net/

Mailing books

Sending books by regular international mail can be quite expensive, but sending a box of books as "printed matter" is the most economical option for your literary collection. Keep in mind that the post office may open or x-ray your box to verify that the contents contain only books. It is best to keep your box unsealed and then seal it after the post clerk has checked it. If you’re guilty of placing even one or two items that are not books, you WILL be charged the prices for regular mail, which will be a much heftier fee. Mark your box of books as “PRINTED MATTER” or “IMPRIME”.

The following prices and weight requirements apply to worldwide destinations from Japan:

A box of up to 5kg of books will cost about ¥2700.
After 5kg, you can send up to 30kgs of books and have them sent to your home country in a special book bag, you will need to go to a main branch for this service. Bind your books with string, as they may be handled roughly in the shipping process.

Approximate prices for the book bag option are as follows:

5kg: ¥2,200 - Every additional kilo (after 5kg): ¥450
30kg: ¥30,450

The English "Post Office Guide" is full of useful information and can be obtained at central post offices throughout Shimane.

Packing tips

On each of your boxes write a number (i.e., Box 1 of 3) and write down what you put in each of those boxes. If there is anything of value, take a picture of it, or keep a receipt. If your items are lost or damaged, you will need these to make an insurance claim.
Also, place INSIDE each of your boxes, a piece of paper with your name, phone number, and destination address, in case your boxes get destroyed and the shipping people have to repackage it.
Fragile Items: Pack fragile items in several layers of bubble wrap and put them in the center of your boxes, padded with newspaper, old clothes, etc. On the outside of the box write "FRAGILE" in English and in kanji, (割れ物注! waremono chūi!)
Computers: Make backup copies of all your files. Store back up disks with your original program disks in a separate place. If your computer gets lost, you don’t want to lose all your disks as well! Remove all floppy disks from the drives. To prepare your hard disk, make sure the recording heads are parked for transport. When automatic ‘park & lock’ systems are powered down, the disk automatically retracts the recording heads from the data area into a safety zone. Some computers require that you run a program to activate the park procedure. IBM and most hard-disk clones include the program SHIPDISK.EXE, which parks the heads. The hard disk becomes un-parked once you turn the computer back on. Once your drive is secure, turn off the system and remove all cables from the back of the unit. If you have a laser printer, remove the ink cartridges and if you have a moving pin printer, insert a piece of paper in the platen to secure the print head.

Disposing/transfering ownership of your car

Selling your car

Selling your car requires more than an agreement between you and the purchaser. You’ll have to officially transfer the ownership. Below are some of the forms you may be required to fill out, however, you can do the transaction through a car dealer (¥20,000), or have a Japanese friend assist you.

Receipt for payment of registration fee
Proof of the transfer in ownership of the car
Certificate of your inkan impression (印鑑証明書 inkan shōmeisho)
Certificate that proves your address
Certificate that proves you have a parking space
Letter of Attorney
Receipt of automobile tax
Certificate of Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance

Disposing of your car (廃車 Haisha)

When you leave Japan your vehicle must be disposed of properly with all necessary paper work completed. Do not abandon the car! If you don’t complete the required documents, you can be held responsible should your car be involved in an accident. You will be liable for vehicle tax until you properly dispose of the vehicle.

You can choose to process the paperwork yourself, but this and the physical disposal of the vehicle are usually taken care of by a vehicle sales or disposal company. There will be a disposal fee, which varies according to the size of your car. The following documents will be required:

Vehicle inspection certificate
Front and back number plates
Certificate of disposal from the disposal company
Your hanko and proof of registration from your local city office/town hall
Letter of attorney if you are authorizing the company to take care of the paperwork
Tax certificate – This is to prove that you paid the car tax which is usually issued in April.

Cancellation of car insurance (自動車保険解約 Jidōsha hoken kaiyaku)

If you have paid for a year’s worth of insurance, even if you cancel the policy mid-term, you may not receive a refund. You will need to consult with your individual insurance company to confirm. If you are paying on a monthly basis, you will not be charged after you cancel your policy.

Transferring your phone line

If you purchased and own your phone line, you will remember the initial expense was quite costly. However, if you find someone to buy the phone line, you will be able to make some of that investment back.

When determining a selling price, be fair. You’ve already used the line for one or more years, so adjust the price accordingly. Used phone lines can be purchased from ¥40,000-¥50,000 so charging around ¥40,000 or less is a fair price.

Once you have a buyer and have settle on a price, you need to visit an NTT office in person to process the name transfer (名義変更 meigi henkō) form. This is the actual transfer of property from you to the buyer. You must go in person to an NTT office to process the meigi henko form. You will also need to get proof that your hanko is registered from the City Hall. Both parties will also need a form of ID (either your passport or gaijin card is acceptable). The transfer fee is ¥800 plus 5% consumption tax. Ideally you should have your service terminated 15 days in advance.

In some cases, a JET will leave before his or her successor arrives and the transfer paperwork can not be completed. In this case, the JET might consider transferring the phone line to a friend who is staying in Japan and when the successor arrives, they can make arrangements with the third party to transfer the line into their name.

There are other options available – check at your local NTT office. If you run into difficulties, ask the NTT employee if you can call the NTT English-speaking operator who can serve as an interpreter between you and the office. The toll-free number: 0120-364-463.

Final bill payment

When you process your meigi henko, you may also ask the NTT employee to give an estimate of your latest phone charges. Although an estimate can be given, you final charges and bill won’t be processed for a month or two after your line has been transferred. As with the rest of your bills, leave the estimated amount and some additional money with the person (or in your account for direct deposit payments) whom will be making the final payments on your utilities. Your final bill may include a termination fee.

No successor/buyer?

If you can't find anyone to purchase your phone line, you might consider a hold (お預かり費用 oazukarihiyō) on your line. With this service, your phone line is put on hold until you can find someone to purchase the line. While you look for an individual buyer, it is also advised to find a private company that will purchase your line (these companies later sell used lines to interested parties - note: NTT will not purchase your line from you).

A few points to consider:

Once you have processed the meigi henko, your current number will no longer be in service. If you have a keitai, you may want to extend your cancellation date until the day before you leave Japan. Remember to notify family and friends of your new contact information.
If you purchased a phone, here in Japan, and are thinking of taking it back with you, it’s best to check to see if the phone is compatible with your lines at home. If not, you are better to sell it to your successor or just giving it to them as a gift.

Domestic Issues (Leaving Japan)

From ShimaneJET Wiki

Contents

Canceling utilities/monthly bills