In an effort to facilitate the hometown tax payment process, local governments around the world are setting up dedicated vending machines at leisure facilities and other facilities to increase donations.
Last fiscal year, the amount donated to local governments nationwide through hometown tax donation was 830.24 billion yen, the highest ever.
Under these circumstances, Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, has installed vending machines that allow hometown tax payment at leisure facilities such as amusement parks and campgrounds in the city since August last year.
Vending machines are installed at the reception of campsites that are visited by many out-of-town visitors, and users can choose between 10,000 yen and 100,000 yen to make a donation. It will arrive in
In return for the donation, you will receive a coupon equivalent to 30% of the amount, which can be used immediately as a facility usage fee.
According to the city, donations of 1.43 million yen were collected through this vending machine last year.
A Tokyo man in his 30s who came to the campsite said, "I have never done hometown tax donations before, but I often use the facilities, so I thought I'd try making a donation to a place that is taking care of me." I was talking to
Itaru Kusanagi, manager of the Sagamihara City Tourism and City Promotion Division, said, "We installed this vending machine because we want people to know about the charm of the city and because it is difficult to collect hometown tax donations in urban areas. There are still many people who don't know about it. I want to do more PR," he said.