Kashiwa City Community Newspaper 2021.02.01

Please cooperate with the emergency measures

Since we are currently under a state of emergency, we once again need to make sure that we are following the requested safety measures, and we must stop all activities that have a high risk of transmitting Covid-19, such as not covering your mouth with a mask while speaking to others, speaking in a loud voice and being in close proximity to other people.

To all city residents

• Avoid leaving your home for non-urgent and non-essential outings and travel. Be especially careful to refrain from going out after 8:00pm.
• Make sure that any group activities or events are not held past 8:00pm. The number of people attending indoor events must not exceed 50 percent of the venue capacity. In addition, we ask that you refrain from going out for a meal or drinks before and after the event, making every possible effort to avoid transmission of Covid-19.
• Avoid situations with the “3 C’s” creating a high risk of transmitting Covid-19. Make sure that you maintain a distance between yourself and others, wear a mask and practice good hygiene by washing or sanitizing your hands. Make every possible effort to follow the basic measures to prevent transmission of Covid-19.

Submit your municipal and prefectural tax return as soon as possible

Contact: Citizens’ Tax Division – Phone: 7167-1124, Fax: 7167-3203, Kashiwa Tax Office – Phone: 7146-2321

Tax returns are a report of your income in 2020 (from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020). The deadline for tax returns is Monday, March 15, so please submit your tax return as soon as possible.

Tax return submission schedule

From Tuesday, February 16

For municipal and prefectural tax returns, please go to the city hall

In order to prevent the spread of Covid-19, city hall staff will not be providing a special tax return area with assistance and advice for tax return creation. Please submit your tax return by mail.

People who need to file a tax return

Those who are residents of Kashiwa City as of January 1, 2021 and whose total income in 2020 was greater than the following amounts must file a tax return.

• If there are no dependent family members = 415,000 yen
• If there are dependent family members = 315,000 yen x (number of dependent family members + 1) + 289,000

Important points to note

• Those who meet the following criteria do not need to file a return.
  • Those who file a national income tax return at the Tax Office
  • Those who receive a salaried income only, and whose employer has submitted a notice of salary payment to the city hall. (Please check with your employer whether or not this has been submitted.)
  • Those whose only income is public pension, and do not need to add any deductions.
• Those who do not meet the above criteria (including those who only receive a non-taxable pension such as a surviving family members’ pension or disability pension) may need to file a tax return if the issuance of a Tax Certificate or the calculation of the National Health Insurance amount is required.
• If you receive income from a public pension, and require an insurance deduction other than the deduction for the social insurance amount taken from the pension, or if you have not submitted a declaration of dependent family members to a pension payment organization (Japan Pension Service, etc.), and need to add in a deduction for a spouse or dependent family members, please submit a municipal/prefectural tax return.

How to file a return

Filing a return by mail

Municipal/prefectural tax return forms will be sent out by mail at the end of January to those who filed a tax return last year. After referring to the guide included in the tax return package, fill out the required parts of the form and mail it to 277-8505, Kashiwa City Hall, Citizens’ Tax Division to be received by Monday, March 15.

If you need a copy of the tax return, please make a copy before you submit it. If you need a stamped receipt to show that your tax return was received, please include a self-addressed envelope with a postage stamp for the required amount.

Filing your return in person at the available tax return submission areas in Kashiwa City

Table 1 lists the locations where tax returns can be submitted.

Table 1: Tax return areas for municipal/prefectural tax returns in Kashiwa City (closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays)

Schedule	Location	Office Hours
Tuesday, February 16 to Monday, March 15	Central Public Hall (Chuo Kominkan) 3rd Floor Lobby	9:00am to 11:30am 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Monday, March 8 to Monday, March 15	Shonan Branch 1st Floor Lobby

Tax returns can be created on the Kashiwa City website

• On the website, enter the amount of your earnings and other information.
• The taxable income and other figures will automatically be calculated, and the tax return is complete.
• Print the tax return and submit the print out as-is to the tax office.
  For more information, please visit the Kashiwa City website.

For income tax returns, contact the Tax Office

Tax return forms are not available at the Kashiwa City Hall Main Building, the Shonan Branch or community centers. Please contact the Kashiwa Tax Office if a tax return form is required.

Applications will start for fixed-term bicycle parking permits in the 2021 fiscal year

Contact: Transportation Facilities Division – Phone: 7167-1304, Fax: 7163-3728

Applications are being accepted for fixed-term bicycle parking permits for the period from April 1 to March 31 of next year.

Using bicycle parking lots managed by Kashiwa City

Priority will be given to the first applications received, and applications will be accepted until the available parking spaces are full.

Paying the usage fees at a financial institution

(1) From Tuesday, March 2, obtain an application form from the office for the bicycle parking lot you wish to use (refer to Table 1), or from the Transportation Facilities Division (City Hall Main Building, 4th Floor)

Application distribution schedule

• Bicycle parking lot offices = Tuesday, March 2, 6:00am to 6:00pm.

*Shonan Branch General Affairs Division (Shonan Building, 1st Floor) = 8:30am to 5:15pm.

• Transportation Facilities Division = 8:30am to 5:15pm

(2) Fill out the required parts of the application form, and pay the usage fee at one of the designated financial institutions, branch offices, or at the Reception Desk Service Section (Shonan Building, 1st Floor).

(3) Bring your application form and payment receipt (permission certificate) to the bicycle parking lot office or the Transportation Facilities Division, and get your permit sticker.

Paying the usage fee at a convenience store (not including Otsugaoka and Nakanohashi bicycle parking lots)

(1)At the bicycle parking lot office, let the staff know that you would like to pay at a convenience store. You will be given a combined payment and application form.

2. Complete the required parts of the application form, and submit it to a staff member at the bicycle parking lot office.

3. You will receive the payment portion of the form. Pay the usage fee at one of the convenience stores listed on the back of the form.

4. Bring the payment receipt to the bicycle parking lot office, and receive a permit sticker and permit certificate.

Table 1: List of available bicycle parking lots (Usage fees are shown in units of yen/bicycle)

Bicycle Parking Lot	Office Location	Annual Usage Fee (yen)
		Bicycles		Motorized Bicycles (50cc and under)	Motorcycles (over 50cc)
		General	High School Students and Under
Kita-Kashiwa Station North Exit Lot 2	Kita-Kashiwa Station North Exit Lot 1	6,120	3,000	-	-
Toyoshiki Station South Exit Lot 1	Toyoshiki Station North Exit Lot 1			14,640	17,040
Toyoshiki Station North Exit Lot 1		7,320	3,720	18,360	21,960
Shin-Kashiwa Station East Exit Lot 1	Shin-Kashiwa Station East Exit Lot 1	8,520	4,320	17,040	-
Shin-Kashiwa Station West Exit Lot 1		6,120	3,000	-	-
Masuo Station East Exit Lot 1	Masuo Station West Exit Lot 2	7,320	3,720	17,040	-
Masuo Station East Exit Lot 2		8,520	4,320	-	-
Masuo Station West Exit Lot 1		11,040	5,520	-	-
Masuo Station West Exit Lot 2		8,520	4,320	18,360	-
Sakasai Station West Exit Lot 1	Sakasai Station West Exit Lot 1	7,320	3,720	14,640
Takayanagi Station East Exit Lot 2	March = Takayanagi Station East Exit Lot 5 From April = Takayanagi Station West Exit Lot 1	11,040	5,520	-	-
Takayanagi Station East Exit Lot 3		7,320	3,720	14,640	19,560
Takayanagi Station West Exit Lot 1 (3rd Level)	Takayanagi Station West Exit Lot 1	8,520	4,320	-	-
Otsugaoka	Shonan Branch General Affairs Division	3,840	1,800	7,560	-
Nakanohashi

• One application form per person.
  If you need an application form for another person, bring a piece of identification (copies accepted). In this case, up to two application forms per person are permitted.
•  For those who are high school age and under, please bring your school card, or other documents (copies accepted) to verify your age.

Using a bicycle parking lot which is operated by a bicycle parking lot management company

Please be aware that the application method and office location may be different. Applications cannot be made at the city hall.

For more information on usage fees and bicycle parking lot locations, please refer to the Kashiwa City website, or contact the management company.

Bicycle parking lots at Minami-Kashiwa Station and the Kita-Kashiwa Station area that are operated by a designated management company

Contact: Nippon Computer Dynamics – Phone: 0120-3566-21

These lots are available to everyone including current bicycle parking lot users.

Office reception period

February 1 to Saturday, April 10, 6:00am to 8:00pm

Application period

Wednesday, March 10 to Saturday, April 10, 6:00am to 8:00pm

How to apply

1. Obtain an application form from one of the designated bicycle parking lot offices. Complete the form, bring it to one of the offices during the reception period and obtain an application receipt.
2. During the application period, bring your application receipt to one of the designated offices and receive a fixed-period usage card.
3. Use the fixed-period usage card at one of the permit renewal machines to pay the fee and receive a permit sticker.

• In addition to annual usage permits, 3-month and 6-month periods are also available.

Designated bicycle parking lots in the Kashiwa Station area

Contact: Shibazono Kaihatsu (Corporation) - Phone: 0120-021-005

Current users of the bicycle parking lots

Those who are currently using Kashiwa Station West Exit Lot 1 bicycle parking (basement level 1 and 2) should renew their current fixed-period usage card between February 1 and Monday, March 31 using the permit renewal machine (see Note 1).

Those who are using the Kashiwa Station West Exit Lot 1 bicycle parking (3rd level) should follow the renewal procedure at the same bicycle parking lot.

First-time users of the bicycle parking lot

Starting from Tuesday, March 2, applications will be available from the designated bicycle parking lots (see Note 2). Complete an application form, and obtain a fixed-period usage card.

Items that apply to each bicycle parking lot

• Hours of availability for application forms = 6:30am to 8:00pm
• How to pay the usage fee = Use your fixed-period usage card at the permit renewal machine to pay the usage fee and obtain the automatically issued permit sticker.

Those who are high-school age and under and eligible for a reduced fee should bring their student card, etc. to the designated bicycle parking lot to make an application.

(Note 1) Located on the Kashiwa Station East Exit Double Deck for Kashiwa Station East Exit Lot 3, Kashiwa Station West Exit Lot 1.

(Note 2) West Exit Lot 1 for those using West Exit bicycle parking lots, East Exit Lot 3 for those using East Exit bicycle parking lots.