Tax Relief For Overseas Cabin Crew Working For A Japanese Airline?

[TEPPO]

Hi!

The following is a bit a complicated topic but I do hope anyone can give me some advice or information.

I work as a European cabin crew for a Japanese airline with base at London Heathrow, UK. The company deducts money from my salary to send to Japan in order to cover for their Japanese tax liability.

As I am not living in the UK however, I have a non-taxable code and thus free from any tax but I am still obliged to pay this notional tax of 20% anyhow to Japan, even as a non resident (staying only about 50 nights per year on Japanese territory).

It would be nice to know that I would not be liable for this notional tax, or a tax refund would be possible as I do not have any right in Japan!

Many thanks in advance for your advice!

Kind regards,
Teppo

[exoplanet]

It would have been easier to argue your case if you had a different tax base. Personally, I can't really see why you should be liable for Japanese taxes, but since you don't pay taxes where you live, the company probably has to cover its back.

Here is a piece of the Japanese tax code, maybe it will help:
http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups...NPAN025858.pdf

[TEPPO]

Hi Exoplanet,

Thanks a lot for your reply and attachment.

Actually, we have to kind of contracts in this matter: I unfortunately belong to the first ones (the latest joiners) who had to agree by terms of employment to give my tax money to the company, which is then send to the Japanese National Tax Office (NTA).
The others are just taxed as they should be according to the UK tax code, since we have a British contract. That means for those living outside the UK: non taxable, and thus that money is used to pay for commuting.

Apparently, it´s the company´s responsibility to pay tax of their overseas cabin crew, but they have shifted that to us by means of terms of emloyment. We all ask ourselves if this is very legal?

The company doesn´t want to provide us more information, and the NTA doesn´t want to give us proof that we are paying our tax in Japan! Annoying, as this is really lost money for us.


Thanks again for your reply.

Happy landings,
Teppo