Choosing among national tax consultation channels: chatbot, Tax Answer, telephone and in-personWho can you ask when you are stuck with tax questions?
The National Tax Agency (NTA) presents the following entry points for national tax consultation: the chatbot, Tax Answer, the top FAQs of the e-Tax help desk, the telephone consultation centers of the regional taxation bureaus, and in-person consultation at tax offices. You can use them in order: first search the NTA website, then call if the problem is not solved, and if necessary, make an appointment for an in-person consultation.
- 1. SearchChatbot, Tax Answer, help desk FAQs
- 2. PhoneTelephone consultation center (weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
- 3. AppointmentCall the tax office and book a date and time for an in-person consultation
- 4. In personBring the necessary documents and consult at the tax office
Key points
- The chatbot (the tax official "Futaba") is available on weekends and at night. Tax Answer lets you look up general answers to frequently asked national tax questions.
- The top 70 FAQs of the e-Tax and tax return preparation corner help desk are said to answer about 70% of inquiries during the tax return filing season.
- The telephone consultation center can be reached on the dedicated national tax consultation line, with reception from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, and December 29 to January 3). Through voice guidance you choose from income tax; withholding, year-end adjustment and payment records; capital gains, inheritance tax, gift tax and asset valuation; corporate tax; consumption tax and stamp tax; and so on.
- Consultations that require checking documents or facts can be handled by in-person consultation at the tax office with jurisdiction, and a prior telephone appointment is required. Submitting returns, requesting tax payment certificates and making payments need no appointment.
- Questions about local taxes such as individual inhabitant tax, enterprise tax, fixed asset tax and real estate acquisition tax are to be directed to the municipal office or the prefectural tax office.
What to do in practice
- First check the general treatment using Tax Answer or the chatbot on the NTA website
- If you want an in-person consultation, call the tax office with jurisdiction to book a date and time, and confirm which documents to bring
When you do not understand something about taxes, it is hard to know whom to ask. The National Tax Agency offers ways to look things up online, ask by phone, and meet and talk at a tax office. You can use them in order: first look it up yourself, and if you still do not understand, call.
Points
- At night or on days off, you can ask the online chatbot
- You can also use "Tax Answer," which lists common questions and answers
- To meet and talk at a tax office, you make an appointment by phone first
What the words mean
- Tax Answer (タックスアンサー)
- A National Tax Agency page that lists common tax questions and answers
- Chatbot
- A system that answers automatically when you type a question
- National Tax Agency (NTA): National Tax Agency (NTA): Consultation on national taxes (chatbot, Tax Answer, telephone consultation)
This article summarizes and explains materials published by government agencies and is not advice on any individual case. Rules can change, so for actual procedures and decisions always check the latest original materials and consult professionals such as tax accountants or labor and social security attorneys. English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese versions are translations prepared from the Japanese articles for convenience. If anything differs, the Japanese text and the original source take precedence.