September 2021 – Akiko Hori-Shihoshosi lawyer@Tokyo, Japan

We are all mortal. Realising we live with uncertainty all the time makes us appreciate the moment. However, when we become older, we possess many things, such as money, clothes, goods and even home ownership, so called property. Because of the uncertainty that it never tells when dying, it is very difficult to prepare for the death. Making a will was less common in Japan, because it is believed that will bring bad luck, but things have been changing these days, and Covid-19 crisis is accelerating these trends.

I am giving advice on how to make a will from time to time, but the most difficult to deal with is a tax issue. Long-term planning is essential, because there is no miracle solution.

The most commonly used estate planning is as follows.

Making a contract with a life insurer

There is a life insurance deduction under inheritance tax system in Japan. Inheritance tax in Japan will not be payable within the following limits at the time of spouses death.

Tax exemption limit: JP¥5,000,000 x number of legal heirs

It can be a foreign affiliated insurance company, but it is only applicable for insurance companies which have licensed to sell their insurance products in Japan.

I will continue this theme, but I would like to emphasise that it is hard to distinguish the good from the bad. Building trust takes time, and advice should be specific to the client’s needs and circumstances.

司法書士堀明子 – HORIakiko –
司法書士 / ビジネスコンサルタント / ライフ・コーチ
Shiho-shoshi Lawyer / Business consultant / Life coach
Email:　horiakiko@lawhelp4u.com
Tel: +81-(0)3-3249-1536　https://lawhelp4u.com/%e6%a5%ad%e5%8b%99%e6%a1%88%e5%86%85/%e7%9b%b8%e7%b6%9a%e7%99%bb%e8%a8%98/

The current norm
In Japan, English is regarded as a second language, so school pupils aged 11 start their English learning at school as a compulsory subject. At the same time, because of the current globalisation, many parents are very keen on their children learning English, and private tuition, such as cram schools and foreign institutions are very popular.

Likely learning methods and a tendency
The idea about learning foreign languages in the early stage of their childhood is effective because of children’s language development, but schools normally focus their students on their grammatical skills, so they tend to rely on paper-based materials. In addition, those textbooks hardly update, so some grammar and vocabulary are old-fashioned. Some private organisations invite native teachers from abroad, but the number of those is very small, thus, the tuition fee tends to be expensive.

Recommendations for improving language learning
To have a good command of English is essential under the current circumstances, so that children deserve a chance to communicate with native English speakers. To do so, online learning would be useful as well as learning at institutions. If children can access the online courses under adult supervision, that would be a great interactive way of improving their communication.

Conclusion
A basic knowledge of learning theories is essential, but not the only consideration, as practical skills are also important. What I would like to emphasise in this report is the balance between traditional methods and practical skills. When schools and organisations consider this point, children can be more sufficient language learners.

Month: September 2021

Estate planning and appointing a lawyer in Japan Part 1

The current language learning system in Japan and recommendations for the future improvement