Japan's public broadcaster leaving threatening notes on people's doorsteps

Feb 18, 2019 | News On Japan

Feb 18, 2019 (soranews24.com) - NHK is a great source of shogi, kabuki, and intimidation.

Many people in Japan have long had a tumultuous relationship with the country's public broadcaster, NHK. Ever since the government decided it was the station's own responsibility to collect funding from the public, the troubles began.

Every country has its own way of generating money for their public broadcasters but in Japan, NHK is largely left to fend for themselves and have outsourced a team of bill collectors to do the dirty work for them.

On one hand, they largely get the job done. Recent estimates say over 80 percent of Japanese residents pay their monthly TV license fees â€“ although this rate shot up after the Japanese Supreme Courts backed NHK's right to demand money from virtually anyone, even if they don't watch NHK.

On the other hand, in many instances the conduct of these collectors has been compared to that of an organized crime group. Homes have been vandalized, and sexual assaults have occurred. As a result, many people never answer their door out of fear that it's an NHK collector on the other side.

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