今、ふるさと納税[のうぜい]が人気だそうです。Donation to city councils is somehow popular in Japan now!
今日[きょう]、朝日[あさひ]新聞[しんぶん]のこのページでふるさと納税[のうぜい]のレポートを読[よ]みました。
ふるさと納税[のうぜい]をすると、いろいろないいプレゼントがもらえるそうです。例[たと]えば(= for example)、東かがわ市の場合[ばあい](= in the case of)、おいしいお肉[にく]や高級[こうきゅう](= high quality)手袋[てぶくろ](= gloves)など。納税[のうぜい](= paying tax)と言[い]いますが、これは市[し]への寄付[きふ](= donation)です。そしてその寄付[きふ]のお金[かね]の分[ぶん]、住民税[じゅうみんぜい](NB. I probably could say that this is equivalent to rates charged by the local councils in New Zealand)に考慮[こうりょ]があります(= partially waived)。
全国[ぜんこく]のいろいろな県[けん](= prefecture)や市[し](= city)で、ふるさと納税[のうぜい]のシステムがあります。もらえるプレゼントによって、人気[にんき]があるところと人気[にんき]がないところがあるそうです。
お金[かね]を集[あつ]める(= to collect)おもしろい方法[ほうほう]ですね。このウェブサイトでふるさと納税[のうぜい]について、もっと知[し]ることができます。
This page of Asahi Shimbun Newspapar reports "furusato nozei" today. Furusato nozei literally means "paying tax to your hometown". But actually this is a system of donation to a local council. You can make donation to any cities or prefectures. It does not have to be your "hometown".
You often receive all sorts of gifts according to the amount of your donation when you do "furusato nozei". In the case of Higashi-kagawa city, you would receive a package of meat, high quality gloves etc. as they are locally produced in Higashi-kagawa city. Futusato nozei gives you tax (rates) waiver in some degrees and this seems to be another reason for the popularity of "furusato nozei".
Apparently many prefectures and cities in Japan now practice "furusato nozei". Some places are more popular than the others due to the popularity of those gifts!
It is indeed an interesting way for prefectures/cities to raise funding! (you can see more details of "furusato nozei" on this page.)