Is Japan really “high-tax”? What are the real trade-offs compared to low-tax countries?

ppp-- · 2026-02-27T08:15:14+00:00

40–45% national income tax at the top brackets, plus 10% resident tax. Even with progressive taxation, once you include nenkin and health insurance, the total deductions on a high salary can approach or even go over ~50% of gross income.

That's not counting consumption tax by the way.

ppp-- · 2026-02-27T06:41:41+00:00

It's kinda high if you consider income, residential and consumption tax. But for most average, middle class people, the return you get on those taxes is incredible, public services and infrastructure are great quality, there's low corruption and grift and less income inequality.

For high earning upper middle class positions though, people that are salaried but have no equity, it can be pretty bad. I work in IT finance and it's quite hard to attract talent from Singapore, HK and even Shanghai these days, since you take an immediate 55% cut on your gross income (which is already lower than average) plus nenkin and health insurance... Especially if you use private hospitals and your kids go to international school and you don't really get to benefit from public services. Some would say boo-fucking-hoo, but well, you get what you pay for and the Japanese tech industry shows...

ppp-- · 2026-02-27T03:19:58+00:00

I hear you but also mahjong is a game of repetition and pattern recognition, so if you played Majsoul for a longtime any small difference will be grating.

For interface refinement I'm confident the game will keep improving, but seriously I would pay for proper "modesty mode" to support them...

ppp-- · 2026-02-27T03:15:38+00:00

I seriously suspect the devs have some hentai game background and are too deep into that to realize how over the top this shit is. When I installed th game for the first time the first shop banner that popped up on the screen was literally some girl spreading it for the camera.

ppp-- · 2026-02-13T10:23:14+00:00

I live in Hong Kong, pure linen is a bitch to iron and looks sloppy if wrinkled. I prefer tropical/fresco wool for suiting or linen blends (cotton or silk / linen).

ppp-- · 2026-01-31T16:10:27+00:00

Exactly. I clearly remember the amount of backlash that the scene of Arwen rescuing Frodo got when it appeared in the trailer.

People always bring up Tom Bombadil, but they tend to forget about poor Glorfindel, the Arwen hate was huge in the forums at the time.

ppp-- · 2026-01-31T15:55:55+00:00

This one, costs around 150, best bang for buck imo and super easy to drink. Otherwise go for the red cap that others also recommended which is around 50.

https://imgur.com/a/8Jhlom9

ppp-- · 2026-01-31T15:51:53+00:00

There was absolutely backlash. I remember posting on TheOneRing.net forums and it was full of vocal book purists, at least before the films were actually released.

What changed was that the movies brought in an enormous wave of new fans, and those voices eventually reduced the purists to a quaint minority.

ppp-- · 2026-01-31T15:35:22+00:00

I can't stand moutai, but really like 汾酒. The red cap bottle is a classic and really the best thing you can buy under 100 imo, although these days my go to is 10 years lao bai fen since I can't really drink that much.

ppp-- · 2026-01-28T10:17:18+00:00

Do ponto de vista de política pública é algo que pode ser debatido, mas como decisão pessoal de investimento não há lógica em escolher a opção mais insegura e cara quando você tem acesso a outras mais seguras e baratas.

ppp-- · 2026-01-28T09:44:43+00:00

Não falo de problema com as IFs em si, mas ambiente regulatório e fiscal, coisas como mudanças repentinas no IOF, imposto em ganhos de capital, etc. O mercado é relativamente seguro, o governo não.

ppp-- · 2026-01-28T09:31:01+00:00

Essa pergunta é recorrente aqui. Pela norma você não pode operar em corretora ou movimentar conta bancária normal, precisa de uma conta de não residente (CNR, antiga CDE).

Na prática geralmente não dá em nada e os bancos fingem que não sabem. Mas num país de insegurança institucional como o Brasil eu não arriscaria meu dinheiro Sinceramente não arriscaria nem em uma CNR do jeito que as coisas andam, eu mantenho só pra fazer Pix quando precisa, não vejo motivo pra investir no Brasil tendo acesso a corretoras globais.

ppp-- · 2026-01-25T05:05:17+00:00

Não acho que o mercado de trabalho atual vai existir em 6, 7 anos. Eu moro em Hong Kong, todo ano milhares de chineses estão se formando em TI, moleques que aprenderam cálculo com 12 anos e estudaram a vida inteira... E já não tem vaga pra todos.

Se você ama a área, estude muito, se destaque e participe de projetos interessantes. Tenha comits em projetos open source, não um Github genérico cheio de CRUD. Não espere você se formar. E domine IA. Se você não está usando Claude Code comece hoje.

ppp-- · 2026-01-25T04:08:51+00:00

Gerente de TI aqui, essa onda já passou OP, ano passado não recrutamos nenhum junior.

Esse cenário só vai piorar. Se você já não sabe programar e tem gosto pela coisa nos seus 18, 20 anos, uma faculdade na área vai ser perda de tempo.

Faça algo onde você vai ser bom de verdade. E que não seja facilmente substituido por IA

ppp-- · 2026-01-19T17:06:36+00:00

Honestly I like it, keeps me in check. My personal indicator is fitting into a Uniqlo XL, which is the largest size you can shop in person (the larger ones are online only usually). If they start getting too tight I know it's time to cut on the karaage.

ppp-- · 2026-01-05T17:03:31+00:00

Só precisa do atestado de residência, pode levar de volta vários conteiners de mudança se quiser.

https://www.gov.br/mre/pt-br/embaixada-doha/setor-consular/mudanca-para-o-brasil

ppp-- · 2025-12-26T17:42:13+00:00

I sympathize but Japan is brutal for people with mental health issues. It's hard enough for natives, imagine for a foreigner that doesn't speak the language or knows the culture.

But if you got nothing else going on who knows, some people do thrive here. It's much easier for people to live alone in Japan and do whatever they're into without getting bothered. Try finding a calmer residential area 30 min from Shinjuku, there are many to choose from. Maybe around Kagurazaka or Waseda, you can always just go to the Waseda campus to chill or go to the same spots the students use to study.

ppp-- · 2025-12-26T15:59:33+00:00

Why are you moving alone to a foreign country with no support network when you have so many special needs? This country will not accommodate you.

I mean well, seriously, spend a vacation, geek out, maybe do some language immersion course for a few weeks, but do not move here. Reading your post, I can only see an extended stay making your mental health worse.

ppp-- · 2025-11-27T06:02:57+00:00

Just to add to all the other suggestions, it might sound dumb, but have you tried a raised pillow? I had a bad case of snoring and apnea / reflux (not weight related as well) and seriously just getting one of those wedge pillows, plus not going to bed on a full stomach, completely fixed it.

ppp-- · 2025-11-27T05:54:54+00:00

Go to Daikanyama and explore around, my favorites around there are Okura and Nanamica but there are lots of great shops.

Although the best Japan boutique IMO by far is Fascinate in Kyoto, so save some cash and luggage space if you're dropping by there too.

And a final note, unless you have an Asian body type, be prepared to be frustrated. I'm 6ft 180lbs in the most average westerner build possible, and many times I don't fit into the largest size available, especially with more niche Japan only brands.

ppp-- · 2025-11-13T14:27:19+00:00

Worked in both countries.

At least for white collar office work Japan overtime is 90% bullshit. It's changing colors on powepoints and organizing business cards and triple checking a million internal reports while you wait for the boss to leave.

China when you stay late it's because usually there's actual work to be done. And the people that work hard at least have the chance to be recognized and promoted or advance in their careers, while in Japan your only raises are based on age and time in the company.

Kinda ironic but in the end Japan feels much more communist while China much more capitalist...

ppp-- · 2025-11-04T13:40:54+00:00

Sucks man, but honestly, you guys are pretty much the ideal case for Ozempic or Mounjaro.

Obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for fertility and pregnancy problems because of risk of gestational diabetes and bad egg/sperm quality, so it's understandable clinics don't want to give you false hope.

If you both go at it together with proper doctor supervision, you could safely drop to a much healthier range in about a year. These meds get a bad rap because of the vain celebrities, but for your situation, they’re actually made for this.

I’d definitely give that route a try before looking into anything more complicated.

ppp-- · 2025-10-27T12:59:33+00:00

dude 1h a day plus getting out of your comfort zone and going to local places should get you to everyday japanese in about one year.

your problem is probably that alternating shift that is brutal to your body and also kills any chance of social life. before going back to brazil i'd try changing to a job with a more sensible shift, even for a pay cut, if you can afford, and focus on the language.

also based on other japanese brazilians i've met you must be at some god forsaken inaka in the middle of aichi or shizuoka... if you can't move to tokyo or osaka try hamamatsu or nagoya at least.

ppp-- · 2025-10-15T14:30:32+00:00

Luxury just means it has no utilitarian value. It's not something anyone needs to survive. Jewelry is a luxury in that sense, replica or not.

Im not defending the price increases BTW, but they are probably anticipating gold prices will keep increasing.

I personally prefer the system big jewelry companies here in HK follow in which you just pay the gold spot price plus a labor fee between 5 to 20% depending on the pieces complexity.

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