Filling out vending machine addresses? Pushing each other to pay transfer fees… “invoice panic” happening in the field one month after the start of the program.

A young voice actor who had been given a one-sided discount by his contracting agency, Mr. A made up his mind and reported the matter to the Fair Trade Commission a few months before the start of the system.

After learning about the invoice system, I was anxious to see what would happen because there was a possibility that I would be forced to pay the consumption tax by the agency, but I never heard anything from the agency.

Shortly before the start of the system, we were suddenly told in writing that we would have to cut our fees by 10% from now on for voice actors who could not issue invoices.

The “10% cut” was made unilaterally and suddenly, without any explanatory meeting or negotiation. Unlike veterans, Ms. A was in a less powerful position and was not in an environment where she could tell her manager or others at the office, so she reported the matter to the Fair Trade Commission. As yet, there has been no further report from the office.

In my case, it was not my own firm, but I knew of three firms like Mr. A’s that had declared they would cut voice actors’ pay by 10%, no questions asked, so I reported them to the Fair Trade Commission.

I reported it to three different companies. The agency is so big that it also holds the casting rights, so I couldn’t casually ask the voice actors at the agency, ‘What happened? I couldn’t even casually ask one of their voice actors, “How did it go? If they found out that I had reported the incident, it could have affected my work, so it was a risk. In other words, it is the people who belong to the firm who should learn and negotiate with the firm, and that is what I did.

However, the more I learn about the invoice system, the angrier I get. Why should I spend so much of my mind and time on something that benefits no one? I feel nothing but anger and emptiness.

The government has begun considering the creation of subsidies as a measure against invoicing…

Two days before the start of the invoice system, the government held its first “Ministerial Conference on Promoting Smooth Implementation of the Invoice System,” and in October began considering the establishment of subsidies as a measure against invoices. How do tax accountants, who are busy in the field, perceive this support measure?

As the Diet session began, Prime Minister Kishida talked about giving back to the people, but in the end, the government has a patronizing way of giving back a little after it has squeezed the public. Support for invoicing seems to be part of that, and the best way to reduce the burden of the invoicing system is to stop the system,” said Saeki.

“Even if you call it support, as long as resources cannot be allocated onsite, I don’t think that is a problem that can be solved with money. Also, I am concerned that if the company’s track record is used to say, “We have provided this much support for digitization,” it may lead to further problems, such as, “Why can’t we comply with the Electronic Bookkeeping Act?

I feel that the current support is for capital investment to automate clerical work, rather than for the extra effort and skills that will be required of the people involved in the invoice process. I hear that the invoice system raises tax revenues by 250 billion yen, but if the tax revenues are to be returned through subsidies, it would be better not to implement the invoice system itself,” said Yamada.

There were many small businesses that were not able to take advantage of the IT introduction subsidies, and I don’t think that introducing new subsidies without understanding the actual situation will immediately alleviate everyone’s concerns. Shouldn’t we first get a proper grasp of the actual situation on the ground?

Also, Although it is often seen as a problem for tax-exempt businesses, many taxable businesses are actually suffering. I would like the government to grasp this reality as well.

The government is just saying, ‘We didn’t expect this,’ but I think we should deal with the problem before it happens, rather than after it happens.