Japanese may not be known as the most charity-minded people in the world. But if there is one charitable activity that has proved a hit in this country in recent years, it¡¯s the ¡°furusato nozei,¡± or hometown tax.
Despite its use of the word ¡°tax,¡± the furusato nozei is essentially a means for people to make donations to municipalities and prefectures of their choice.
And dovetailing with its rising public popularity, the donation program¡¯s political importance has likewise surged, as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe apparently considers it an instrumental part of his administration¡¯s much-hyped ¡°regional revitalization¡± policy.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.