Society

Nissan slapped with more back taxes from Ghosn period

Aug 20 (Kyodo) - Nissan Motor Co. has been ordered to pay several hundreds of millions of yen in back taxes in connection with misuse of funds by the Japanese automaker under former boss Carlos Ghosn, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

Japanese taxation authorities concluded that Nissan failed to declare the taxable income in five business years through March 2019, the sources said.

With regard to Ghosn's alleged financial misconduct, the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau had already found last year that Nissan failed to declare about 150 million yen in taxable income in three business years through March 2014.

The taxation authorities proceeded to look into the accounting for a period beyond the three years, resulting in the latest finding.

In a report submitted to the Tokyo Stock Exchange in January, Nissan said that Ghosn inappropriately received about 140 million yen ($1.3 million) as stock-linked compensation. He also used a company business jet for private trips, costing a total of $4.4 million.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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