Japan's consumption tax has raised to
10% since October, and the reduced tax rate (8%) is applied to essentials. For
food, you'll pay 8% if you take out or order in, and you'll pay 10% if you eat
in the store.
And this complicates the things.
One day at a bakery. I bought a bunch
of breads and a cup of tea, planning to take a little break in the store.
A cashier lady asked me if I was going
to eat all of them in the store, I said no, then she asked me which one to eat
now and which one to take home. She needed to know specifically to type in the
machine.
I said "I'm going to have a cup
of tea and this sandwich in the store... and I'll take others home." And
by saying this, I felt that my action was limited. If I had a bite of other
things than this sandwich, it would be deemed as a tax evasion...
And the other day at a different
bakery.
This time I went in just to have a coffee
and a donut in the store, so I could simply declare "I'll eat here".
Then a cheerful cashier lady gave me a
small cup, addition to my ordered coffee. She said "we are giving this cup
to customers who honestly told and paid 10% tax. Good things happen to honest
people. You can have coffee or miso soup or corn soup from that machine for free."
Though I was quite puzzled by their
choices, I happily received this offer and reached the multiple beverage
machine (it's all in one machine). I thought it's a brilliant idea.
Holding this honest people's cup, I
remembered the Aesop's Fables of "What you had lost in the river was golden
ax or silver ax..?"
"Are you going to eat here or take out?"
Your honesty will be tested at the
checkout.
