GST refund in Japan- the new system
Now about that new GST tax rebate. Japan was one of the few countries that still allowed tax refund on the spot when you shop but they had to stop due to abuse. Now it’s like most other models where you buy, pay tax then show up at the airport with the goods then claim tax. The amount to qualify for a refund remains the same but the total has gone up, and the important thing is now you need to claim at the airport before you check in your luggage. On day one 1/11, there was minimal crowds at Kansai, probably because the smart shoppers would have finished their shopping a day before and were also worried about long queues and confusion. So the new system is you buy something and get it acknowledged in the store as before but now you won’t get your money back immediately. You bring it to level four, same level as the departure hall where there are two counters. You log in with your passport and follow the instructions. They may ...