The Hometown Tax System, which was launched in 2008, has seen wide use thanks to the improvements in return gifts, raising the deduction upper limit, and simplification of procedures through the ...

This image provided by Shift Plus Corp. shows the "IAM" app on a pair of smartphones. The app lets people complete "hometown tax" donation procedures online. MIYAKONOJO, Miyazaki -- The government of ...

This file photo shows 100,000 yen in cash. (Mainichi/Kazuhisa Soneda) Japan's "hometown tax" system has swelled to the point that it's distorting the country's taxation policy, and cannot be left in ...