And importantly, even if they have a less than altruistic motivation for their decision. It's perfectly OK if someone gives to someone else because they benefit in some way.
Thanks - but isn't this more like "reallocation"? I thought redistribution was more about taking money from some people and giving it to (or spending it on) other people, of which taxation is one method.
You take money that would have ostensibly gone to the citizens of Tokyo and instead provide it to the citizens of town of your choice.
Reallocation and redistribution are synonymous here, one is just used in more headlines (probably because more people use "distribute" more regularly than "allocate"). Nothing different should be inferred by either word choice IMO.
Just because it's a person choosing to do this instead of a bureaucrat doesn't mean it's not redistribution. To use the example in the article, you're taking 40% of your taxes which would go to Tokyo and instead sending them to Gifu.
It is tax deferment
Taxpayers who contribute more than 2,000 yen can have their income tax and residence tax reduced. The amount deducted is the taxpayer's entire contribution minus 2,000 yen and set amount. To receive the subtraction, the taxpayer files a final tax return
> And there, that’s Japan’s most novel redistribution program in a nutshell.
How is this "redistribution"?