As I mentioned in an early post (Click here to read it), Japanese people send 年賀状 (New Years Postcards) to friends and family.
On the back, in the lower right-hand corner, of every 年賀状 (New Years Postcards) is a six-digit number.
Every January, the Japan Post Office chooses random numbers for a kind of New Year Postal Lottery and if you received a 年賀状 (New Years Postcards) with one of the winning numbers, you can get a prize.
Yesterday, the winning numbers were announced.
Did you receive any Japanese 年賀状 (New Years Postcards)?
Check the number on the back to see if you’ve won. (If you have, bring the winning postcard to a post office to claim your present).
Here are the winning numbers for the 2009 lottery (of course, you can only win if you have a winning number on a 2009 年賀状 (New Years Postcards)):
- First Prize (Digital TV, Massage chair, Domestic (Japan) trip, Printer, Office goods, etc.)
- 345898
- Second Prize (温泉 (Hot Springs) trip, Coffee maker, Digital camera, etc)
- 663829
- 908796
- 028962
- Third Prize (Hotel stay, Coffee cake, etc)
(Only the last four digits need to match):- 〇〇5070
- Fourth Prize (Sheet of postage stamps)
(Only the last two digits need to match):- 〇〇〇〇94
- 〇〇〇〇46
- “C group” (Panasonic garbage recycler, Bridgestone bicycle, Coleman camping set)
- 882347
- 223109
Did you win?
(BTW, Click here to visit the Japan Post page (in Japanese) that I found the winning numbers and prizes listed)
Tokyo Five 
joe….
The postcard I sent you finally came?
It’s so late…but I’m glad you got it!
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it arrived today finally:) thanks bob… it’s cute and on the fridge with the rest of them!
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Sir Pent…
That’s ruthless. It’s almost like it cost your wife $600 to work that week rather than earning that amount!
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Yup. My wife was paid $600 for a week’s worth of teaching at a seminar. The place that was running it didn’t send out the tax info until after I had done my taxes for that year.
I figured “Why bother? The government isn’t going to notice $600 from an everyday schlub like me.”
– There was a penalty for failure to report.
– A service charge for sending the paperwork, updating the account, etc.
– There was a late fee (they didn’t discover it for 3 years…so 3 years of late fees.)
I could’ve challenged it…but I was definitely in the wrong for NOT filing the amended $600. There was all kinds of threatening stuff:
– if you don’t pay by “X”, then it’s criminal
– if you challenge and lose you have to pay for the challenge and additional late fees.
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Sir Pent…
>I once failed to claim $600 my wife made. I ended up paying $1200 in fines and late fees for it
That’s out of line. You had to pay twice the income?!?
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I used to get infuriated about the kind of shenanigans like the whole US economy, but have come to the realization that I can’t let it get me upset. The best I can do is live my life.
The American people voted in Clinton…twice. They voted in Bush…twice. The economy is where it is at because of policies and decisions made during these administrations. (I know Bush is taking most of the blame, but it all started with policy Clinton put in place the last few years of his administration. Having said that though…Bush did nothing to change it and he and his cronies made LOTS of money from it.)
I find it amusing that Obama has 2 cabinet appointees that are being held up for failure to report and pay back taxes.
– one for $32,000.00
– one for $132,000.00
I have to say, I once failed to claim $600 my wife made. I ended up paying $1200 in fines and late fees for it…with threats of criminal prosecution if not paid.
I wonder if these 2 gentlemen will get the same treatment…or if they will get high-paying government jobs?
Wow. Sorry for the rant.
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Sir Pent…
Before this recent economy crash, people criticized Japan’s banks as being too conservative. But suddenly when America’s economy collapsed, and Japan’s was still OK…the criticism ended.
But when the American company, “Lehman Bros” dived, it affected Japan’s economy…and the fact that Americans aren’t buying as many Toyota cars or Sony electronics affected Japan, too.
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The bad news is that if the US economy falls…the rest fall right behind.
We’re ALL screwed…
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Sir Pent…
The whole U.S. economy seems to be falling apart!
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They just announced in the news today that the American Post Office may end the year with a 6 billion dollar deficit. (That’s Billion…with a “B”.)
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Sir Pent…
I wonder if American post offices did banking, if it’d be popular like it is here.
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naoko…
Did you win? I have never won (including this year!) 😦
And I want an electronic dictionary too!
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No savings account that I know of.
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Thank you for reminding me! It slipped my mind. I’ll check it! I want wii or 電子辞書！！
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Sir Pent…
Yeah, I think when Email started, Americans just about abandoned letter-writing for it.
In Japan, though, Email is extremely popular (especially via cell-phone)…but people still write letters. Also, the Japanese Post Office has Savings Acc’t service like a bank that is very popular.
I don’t think the U.S. Postal Service does banking, does it?
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The US Post Office could learn from this. Each year fewer people use their service. They need SOME kind of gimmick.
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