Tag Archives: japan

Is Fixed Cash Handout(定額給付金) making Japan's economy better?

We have received “Fixed Cash Handout” of 12,000 yen each today. We have no plan yet whether we spend it for entertainment e.g. good dinner, travel or buying something good or just saving, or donating.

As base idea of “Fixed Cash Handout” is to stimulate Japanese economy, there are many campaigns has started in almost any market/industry.

Gold rush starts for stimulus pay | The Japan Times Online

Businesses nationwide are rolling out special campaigns to take advantage of the extra cash soon to be circulating when hundreds of municipalities start handing out cash to their residents under Prime Minister Taro Aso’s economic stimulus plan.

I doubt a bit that special campaigns will be successful. Because people are not that simple saying “oh, the government gave us money, now let’s spend it for something special to entertain ourselves!!” – I can’t picture such situation. I guess that most of ordinarily people say like “well, the government just gave us such amount of money here, let’s save them, or pay for cost of living.” or “we can donate it for NPO that is doing something good for the society and/or the world.”.

Again, we have no plan with “Fixed Cash Handout”, however, I am sure that we don’t pay it for entertaining ourselves.

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定額給付金が振り込まれていた

今朝、銀行からお金を引き出したら、把握しているよりも少しだけ多い残高だったので調べてみたら、定額給付金が振り込まれていた。

奥さんと僕とで、それぞれ12,000円ずつ。計24,000円。昨年から騒がれてきた定額給付金がこうやって実際に振り込まれてくると、何だか不思議な気分。特に嬉しいということもなく、本当に政府からお金もらっちゃったなという何とも言えない変な気分。

政府からお金もらっちゃった、と言っても、このお金も僕達国民の税金から賄われているので、振り込まれた金額のうち何分の一かは、元々僕達が稼いだお金なんだよなあ。むむー。

それにしてもこの定額給付金、改めて考えるとものすごくコストがかかっているなと思う。申し込み用紙そのものを印刷・郵送するのにも、僕達がその申込書に貼る証明書を用意したりするのも、申込書を受け取って内容を確認して指定された銀行に振り込むというのにも、全てコストがかかっている。特に人的コストってすごいんじゃないかな、これ。大変なコストをかけてお金をばら撒く政府と、ばら撒かれる国民。なんだかなあ。

数年経ってから、2009年に実施された定額給付金という政策にはどんな評価が下されているんだろう。良くも悪くも、ある意味歴史に残る政策であることは、間違いなさそうだ。

Moving to new apartment on Golden Week

Golden week is coming here in Japan. You can find what is it here. Simply put, it is one of holiday season in Japan.

This year, we are not going to anywhere for travel but moving to new apartment on Golden Week. As everyone know, there are many, many things to do for moving. Not only packing things up but also some paper works. One of important work for moving is change of address. You realize that how many places you registered your address information to – e.g. Ward office, Internet provider, telephone/mobile company, Amazon and more. You may (or will) forget to change address for some companies or shops – I always do.

Thus, I believe the most important thing you have to complete before you start anything for moving is to list up all things you have to do including list of change of address one by one. I learned it from my previous experience – bad experience – lost some important document due to change of address was not fully completed.

Now, I have already generated todo list for moving on Golden Week. Though I still feel I missed something important…

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