On April 12, 2019, the annual fee for Amazon Prime membership has been raised JPY1,000.
In my case, next payment will be changed from 3,900yen to 4,900yen.
I know Japan's prime membership fee is still lower than those of the other countries. However, it was pretty shock for me that Amazon can easily change the price just by sending one email.
Nowadays, price slashing permeates all over the world.
The other hand, many small business owners are struggling with what they should do in order to be accepted their value to the customers.
By the way, if your tax accountant shows you the quote in an excessive price, it might mean to “refuse” the work indirectly.
Why the tax accountant would not like to contract even if the taxpayer allows to pay enough money?
For example ・ Labor shortage ・ Time-consuming issue ・ Complicated human relationship, the tax accountant who previously involved is his or her acquaintance etc. ・Big risks, irresponsible people etc.
In any case, either expensive or cheap price has something reason.
Jimbocho, my office townis a mecca for curry fans in Tokyo. Everyone can enjoy a huge variety there, such as Indian, European, or original styles, and many famous curry restaurants compete with each other for business in this area.
If you'd like to take on the challenge of a Japanese style curry, which is like stew...
How about a visit to "MAJI-curry," won the Grand Prix in just 7 months since opened in April 2018?
Kanda Curry Grand Prix 2018 winner
"MAJI" means "seriously” or being committed to doing something. The restaurant boasts that its tasty curry is carefully made over a period of 100 hours!
"Tonkatsu" (crispy fried pork cutlet) is also a Japanese speciality dish that is on the menu. I thoroughly recommend that you take a visit to Jinbocho and try some "Katsu-curry.”
You can tune up the hotness as you like by adding the spice placed on the table.
Last time, I was not very hungry, so ordered "Hamburg curry."
Hamburg curry
Side dish is surprisingly cheap.
Side dish potato salad 80yen
Handmade pickles "Kami-fuku duke" is used many kinds of vegetables, for free.
Utopian is an izakaya restaurant which is within walking distance from Yoyogi station and Shinjuku station.
The word of the shop name is consits of "utopia" and "an" which means "hermitage."
There are many kinds of Japanese sake for sale here, and today’s special is a bargain at only 500 JPY.
But you should first of all definitely drink a beer!
Eda-mame (green soybeans) and Tori-no-karaage (Japanese fried chicken) are also a must.
The "Obachan" waitress (for a senior woman, like an aunt, we say OBACHAN in Japan) said that "we recommend all of our menu! If not, then we wouldn’t have run the diner for 31 years!" However, I didn't catch it all and asked her again, "How long have you been in business?" "Look at the wall over there. It's written on the paper!"
She shouted at me.
In recent times, it has become less common to be scolded. In one sense, despite risking an angry response (we say GAKU-GIRE in Japanese), scolding someone is sometimes seen as another way of expressing "love."
Utopian must be a utopia for those people who feel lonely because they have nobody to scold them.
Utopian is far from stylish, but it provides a certain Showa era nostalgia.
You might not be able to eat urchin "Uni, " or salmon roe "Ikura," every time.
However, Hiro-zushi never uses cultured fish, and serves only the best NATURAL PRODUCTS.
It is obviously different from many usual sushi restaurants.
Regarding tuna "Maguro," there is no denying that Japanese inshore fish is not always the best.
The chef called 「大将」"Taisho" is chasing the best tuna at the time, all over the world.
Last time, I felt spring had come, eating "Nore-sore".
No smell, and the texture is like that smooth jelly and silk are mixed. Initially, they are no color and transparent, but are colored brown with soy-sauce.
Nore-sore young conger eel
You can select a small cup of Japanese sake among many product lineups.
Three kinds of fish were "Kue," "Kuro-mutsu," "Kinmedai."
We can eat them at raw, but... Medium rare boiled is the best!
Iwagaki, natural oysters are much bigger than Magaki which is cultured oyster, but these are still small.
It will be bigger in the summer season.
We can know about the chef's skill by eating Makimono, rolled sushi.
↓These were perfect rolled sushi, because cucumber was sliced finely, natural wasabi and the best Akagai ark shell from Yuriage fishing port were selected.
Japanese soup is also important menu in sushi restaurant.
Natural Wakame seaweed is brisk, like aliving.
Hiro-zushi is mom-and-pop business, so it is not so gorgeous interior, but friendly and at home atmosphere.
Taisho is very kind, and his son who is a junior high school student is studying English hard.
The deadline for US tax returns is almost upon us.
When I prepared one of my US client’s Japanese income tax return last month, the couple had chosen a Joint Return in the US.
However, as you know, there is ONLY ONE filing status according to Japanese income tax regulations, which is the separate return.
How much can each person deduct foreign tax credit from their Japanese income tax?
Surprisingly, there are no regulations relating to this in Japanese tax law.
I asked the customer about the proportion of revenue and expenses incurred by each person. However, we gave up on that eventually because we realized that these were impossible to separate .
I cannot provide all the details here, but I am sure that the return will be acceptable because the Japanese NTA cannot reject it if no specific tax law exists relating to this issue.
I decided to consult a respected tax accountant, and he fully agreed with my opinion.
In my view, this is an important issue, and the Japanese government should discuss how it should be dealt with in the near future.
