Please find this month’s topics below. We hope they will be useful to you.
▼税務
Increase in Inheritance Tax Audits Involving Overseas Assets
According to a recent National Tax Agency report on the status of inheritance tax audits, field audits involving overseas assets increased significantly in FY2024. The number of field audits rose from 947 cases in FY2023 to 1,359 cases in FY2024, a 43.5% increase year on year. In addition, the number of non-compliance cases involving overseas assets increased from 168 to 209, while the amount of omitted taxable estate value increased from JPY 6.2 billion to JPY 9.7 billion.
The National Tax Agency states that, in response to the internationalization of taxpayers’ asset management and in order to ensure appropriate inheritance taxation, it is working to identify overseas transactions and overseas asset holdings by utilizing CRS information (financial account information of non-residents based on the Common Reporting Standard) and information exchange frameworks under tax treaties. Taken together with the increase in field audits, this suggests that the tax authorities are making greater efforts to strengthen taxation of inheritance cases involving overseas assets.
With these developments in mind, it is increasingly important to prepare robust inheritance planning in a timely manner.
Source: National Tax Agency, “令和6事務年度における相続税の調査等の状況”
▼労務
Regarding the Mandatory Implementation of Measures Against Customer Harassment
Under the Revised Act on Comprehensively Advancing Labor Measures which will take effect on October 1, 2026, companies are required to implement measures to address customer harassment.
Customer harassment refers to acts that harm a worker’s working environment through conduct？such as verbal abuse or excessive demands？that exceed what is considered reasonable by social standards. Employers are required to clarify and publicize their policies, establish consultation systems, respond appropriately when incidents occur, protect victims, and implement measures to prevent recurrence.
Additionally, they must prevent the unfair treatment of those who report incidents and protect their privacy. Workers are also expected to deepen their understanding of this issue and strive to behave appropriately.
Source: Government Public Relations Online [What Is “Kasuhara”? Learn about the measures against ‘Kasuhara’ that have become mandatory due to legal revisions, as well as tips on how to avoid becoming a perpetrator of “Kasuhara”]