After a few weeks, the local government you contributed to will send you a certificate and an email.
Certificate
Guide Email
What is the One-Stop Tax Refund System?
The One-Stop system is a tax deduction support mechanism that doesn't require filing a tax return if you make contributions to a maximum of 5 local governments. When you register your contributions with the selected local governments, the contribution amount exceeding 2,000 yen will be directly deducted from your residence tax.
For office workers or foreigners who don't need to file tax returns, it's recommended to use this system if you're only contributing to fewer than 5 local governments. If you contribute to 5 or more local governments, you must file a tax return (kakutei shinkoku) with the tax office, along with submitting the Furusato Nozei participation certificate sent by the local government.
How to Register for One-Stop Tax Refund
Things You Need to Prepare
My Number Card
Mynaportal App on Smartphone
Certificate of Donation to the Local Government (Kifukin Juryō Shōmeisho)
Account Registration
Follow the instructions in the email to register. The email will contain a link that takes you to the mypg.jp page. If it's your first time, you'll need to create an account by clicking the button shown below.
Next, you'll see the terms of use screen. Check the agreement box, then click continue to enter your email address and password. After that, a verification code will be sent to your email; enter it to complete the account registration.
The first time you register, a screen for uploading the certificate will appear. Use your phone to take a photo of the certificate sent by the local government, then upload it to the system.
Installing Browser Extension
If you're using the Mynaportal app, skip this step, as installing the extension is for PC users.
After logging in for the first time, you'll see a notification like this:
Select 今すぐオンラインワンストップ申請を始める to start the One-Stop tax refund registration process.
If you see the message: マイナポータルAPブラウザ拡張のインストールが必要です, it means you need to download the extension named マイナポータルAPブラウザ.
To download it, search on Google for "Extension マイナポータルAPブラウザ", or click the link I've saved below for convenience. Link to download the extension.
Then, select Chrome に追加, and choose Add extension
Registering for One-Stop Tax Refund
For a smooth tax refund registration and My Number card scanning process, I recommend using a smartphone instead of a PC.
Go to the mypg.jp page as before, and select the オンラインワンストップ申請 menu.
The next screen will ask if you have a My Number card; if you do, select はい.
On the following screen, select 次へ to continue.
The next screen will display the products you've purchased from various local governments. As you can see in the example, this year I've bought from 3 local governments, totaling nearly 100,000 yen. Select the checkboxes for the items you want to register for tax refund; here, I select all. Then, choose オンラインワンストップ申請を始める to start the tax refund process.
Scanning Your My Number Card
The My Number card scanning screen will appear. Prepare your My Number card and click マイナンバーカード読み取り to begin.
When using a smartphone and selecting the マイナンバーカード読み取り button, the Mynaportal app will launch. Enter your 4-digit My Number PIN, then place the My Number card under your smartphone as shown in the image and select Scan.
After scanning is complete, select 次へ to proceed to the next step.
In the next step, select the option to agree to the terms, and confirm your information such as full name and date of birth. Then, select マイナンバーカード読み取り again to scan your My Number card once more.
In this final step, you need to enter your My Number card password (not the 4-digit PIN). If you've forgotten your PIN or card password, go to your local city hall (shiyakusho) to reset it.
After scanning is done, the screen オンラインワンストップ申請完了 will appear, meaning you've completed the One-Stop tax refund registration.
A confirmation email will be sent to you a few seconds later, and as noted on the screen, you don't need to handle any paperwork. This is something I find very convenient since everything can be done online with the My Number card.
Checking Registration History
On the mypg.jp website, you can select to check your tax refund registration history. This site also allows you to view details of your Furusato Nozei participations by year, which is very easy to understand.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Does the Tax Reduction Start?
If you use One-Stop for Furusato Nozei in 2024:
Tax reduction application period: from June 2025 to May 2026
The reduction will be shown in the residence tax notification (Jūminzei Kettei Tsūchisho)
Conditions for Using One-Stop
You do not file your own tax return (mostly company employees)
You donate to a maximum of 5 different local governments
Submit the One-Stop application + copy of My Number card to each local government before January 10 of the following year
If I Choose the One-Stop System, Which Taxes Will Be Reduced?
With the One-Stop system (Wan Sutoppu Tokurei Seido), you will receive a 100% deduction of the eligible Furusato Nozei amount through your residence tax (jūminzei).
No need to file a tax return (kakutei shinkoku)
Tax reduction starts from June of the following year after your donation
No cash refund to your bank account (unlike when filing a tax return)
The total amount reduced is the same as filing a tax return. The difference is you won't see the money refunded to your account; instead, your residence tax will automatically decrease. Rather than receiving a partial refund to your account like with tax filing, the entire reduction is applied to residence tax. The total reduction amount remains the same.
Specific Example of Tax Refund
Suppose you donate 30,000 yen in December 2024 and use One-Stop correctly.
Processing fee: 2,000 yen
Amount eligible for reduction: 28,000 yen
If registering with One-Stop
Shotokuzei (refund): 0 yen
Jūminzei (direct reduction): 28,000 yen
If filing your own tax return
Shotokuzei (refund): 6,000 yen
Jūminzei (direct reduction): 22,000 yen
So, no matter which method you choose, you won't lose money; it's just the way the refund is handled that's different.
Conclusion
That's it! This series of articles introducing and guiding you through Furusato Nozei as well as the One-Stop tax refund procedure ends here. The tax office will handle the tax deduction for you.
I hope these articles help you understand more about the benefits of participating in Furusato Nozei and the convenience of registering for One-Stop tax refund. In my case, each year I only spend 2,000 yen to buy a total of over 100,000 yen worth of goods. Since I buy on Rakuten, I also get a few thousand points back, so essentially, each year I get more than 100,000 yen in free shopping plus a few thousand points as a bonus, which is very advantageous.
Hello everyone. I'm an IT engineer working in Japan. I created this blog to share about life and experiences during my study and work journey. I hope this article will be helpful to you.
