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NHK subscription - legality question

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just4fun said:
This means....if you have the internet.....you have to pay for NHK.
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They actually applied for that expansion to their billing, and were denied.
 
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Sudsy said:
They actually applied for that expansion to their billing, and were denied.
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I didn't catch all of it.......Thanks Suds....
 
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If they refuse to leave, call the police. Seriously. Them putting their foot in the door so you cannot close it is illegal trespass.
 
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just4fun said:
I heard on the news the other day that NHK is going to go on the internet with programming. This means....if you have the internet.....you have to pay for NHK. If you have a phone and no TV....you have to pay for NHK.
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I thought that a recent court case made it clear that whether you have or don’t have a TV, but do have a cellular service, you are required to pay!
 
Jimmy Chu1969 said:
I thought that a recent court case made it clear that whether you have or don’t have a TV, but do have a cellular service, you are required to pay!
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Then you understood incorrectly.

If you have a cellular phone with TV reception capabilities, you are required to contract.

There are very few of those being produced now.
 
Sudsy said:
There are very few of those being produced now.
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Ah, yes, 1seg (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1seg)

A piece of history..... (2008 example)
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I remember this part but after the court made its ruling, people wanted to know about iPhones. Specifically whether or not iPhones were exempt and as I recall, and I could be wrong , but you can access NHK programming with an iPhone or Android through various means, and this justified an NHK fee collector to request a contract. It’s a technicality but an smartphone can receive TV transmissions and is considered an TV by NHK. And I remember this is how NHK justifies suing people that have smartphones who also refuse to pay. Specially I remember this part and in other words, you’d have to have one of those geriatric phones with dial capability only to get out of paying NHK. But at least it’s per household and not individual rooms with TVs like in hotels. 😂

I could be wrong but smart tv capable is also a tactic the NHK fee collector uses. That’s why I am fairly sure that smartphones are included in the ruling that may or may not have been reversed later down the road. But one thing is clear, a smartphone is considered a TV capable device by NHK. And you can watch NHK on YouTube. Also, 13,000 yen is better than the 20,000 or more for its cable network. Now I can imagine that there next phase will allow them to double the subscription fee.

I won’t lie, I started paying after the smartphone explanation by the NHK guy.
 
Jimmy Chu1969 said:
I won’t lie, I started paying after the smartphone explanation by the NHK guy.
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And now basically you're stuck until you get rid of your smartphone or can at least convince someone that you don't have a device that can receive the programming. (which will be harder now, I would assume)

The NHK (contractors) people stopped coming around our neighborhood going to door-to-door since about five years ago. They now just drop these info-postcards in the mailbox. These promptly find their way into the trashcan.
 
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Jimmy Chu1969 said:
Specifically whether or not iPhones were exempt and as I recall, and I could be wrong
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You are. Even NHK's own licensing FAQ says so.

Jimmy Chu1969 said:
I could be wrong but smart tv capable is also a tactic the NHK fee collector uses.
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This part is true - because those pricks lie. They are paid on commission, and they will say anything that they think will get someone to sign up.

The only thing you should be saying to them is, "You are trespassing. Leave or I will call the police."
Edit: And I mean quite literally as soon as they start talking, you answer with, "You are trespassing. Leave or I will call the police." Don't even let them get a full sentence out.

That's the magic phrase to get rid of them, and if it doesn't work immediately, just dial 110 on your phone and show them the number. If they fail to leave, they're in violation of Article 130 of the Penal Code, and subject to up to three years in the clink.

I haven't had an NHK goon darken my doorstep in at least a decade since I learned that trick - I think after a few of them were met with that response I got put on a list.

For anyone who can't speak Japanese, print and laminate this, and keep it on the back of your door with a magnet to show any unwelcome salesperson/god botherer/NHK panderer:

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Jimmy Chu1969 said:
I won’t lie, I started paying after the smartphone explanation by the NHK guy.
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Call their cancellation number here: 0120-151515

Tell them specifically that you do not and have never owned a television in Japan, and that the person that came to your door lied to you and told you that you had to sign up because you had a smartphone (iPhone).

Be prepared, they'll also ask you if you have a navi system installed in your car (tell them no), or if anyone in your household has a one seg or full seg smartphone (tell them no).

(I may despise NHK. Just a little.)
 
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Sudsy said:
Call their cancellation number here: 0120-151515

Tell them specifically that you do not and have never owned a television in Japan, and that the person that came to your door lied to you and told you that you had to sign up because you had a smartphone (iPhone).

Be prepared, they'll also ask you if you have a navi system installed in your car (tell them no), or if anyone in your household has a one seg or full seg smartphone (tell them no).

(I may despise NHK. Just a little.)
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I wasn’t just lied to! I decided to find out what one seg is! It’s something you have to purchase. Wow! I had little idea how that actually worked on the iPhone. As my favorite “papakatsu girl” says, “I fucked up”.

I’ll call them. I’ll get back to you with an update.
 
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Sudsy said:
You are. Even NHK's own licensing FAQ says so.


This part is true - because those pricks lie. They are paid on commission, and they will say anything that they think will get someone to sign up.

The only thing you should be saying to them is, "You are trespassing. Leave or I will call the police."
Edit: And I mean quite literally as soon as they start talking, you answer with, "You are trespassing. Leave or I will call the police." Don't even let them get a full sentence out.

That's the magic phrase to get rid of them, and if it doesn't work immediately, just dial 110 on your phone and show them the number. If they fail to leave, they're in violation of Article 130 of the Penal Code, and subject to up to three years in the clink.

I haven't had an NHK goon darken my doorstep in at least a decade since I learned that trick - I think after a few of them were met with that response I got put on a list.

For anyone who can't speak Japanese, print and laminate this, and keep it on the back of your door with a magnet to show any unwelcome salesperson/god botherer/NHK panderer:

View attachment 23958
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I should have been less accommodating since he was stalking me for a month and finally figured out my arrival time. He blocked the entrance to my apartment. But after thinking about this after reading what you said, I am now convinced I was forced to sign up under false pretenses.

Well, you live and learn! Money wasted all these months. I don’t even own a TV!
 
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