274 Municipalities pay officials who walk to work “commuting benefits”

This man is from Hokkaido. He definitely didn't cheat the government.
It is customary in Japan for employers to pay transportation fees for their workers. Don’t tell anyone, but it is equally customary for workers to use this system to scam their oppressors, with the most popular method being to lie about one’s route (e.g.: Claim to take the expensive JR but in fact commute by a cheap private railway. Combine this with the 50% children’s discount for maximum damage). Now, it seems like even local governments are in on the act:

(4/19/05) The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced the results of a special survey on April 19 thats finds 274 municipalities in 31 prefectures are paying commuting benefits to city workers who walk to their jobs. National public servants do not receive such stipends for walking to work, and must commute at least more than 2km one way if they do use some mode of transportation. 244 of the municipalities were paying benefits to people living within 2km of their workplace as well (WTF alert: but 30 weren’t?!).
This Saitama man commented on the condition of anonymity.
The Ministry stated, “We demand that the payment of local public servants conforms to the standards of their national counterparts, and paying commuting benefits for people who walk is improper,” seeking speedy review from local governments.

The survey results are current as of Jan. 1 of this year, and were taken after the “hospitality” scandals (fraudulent overtime etc.) among Osaka’s public servants. Aichi Prefecture was the worst, with 38 municipalities. Fukuoka followed with 28, and Saitaima was 3rd with 23. As a whole, there were most in Western Japan, and there were no such incidents found in Hokkaido or the Tohoku (Northeast) region.

The highest monthly benefit payment (for workers living within 2km of their workplaces) was in Hekinan, Aichi, with 5750 yen. Most payments were 1000-4000 yen, and the smallest was Kitakyushu city with 100 yen per month.

In Hekinan, workers received commuting benefits on 8 levels based on distance without regard to mode of transportation, with workers living within 1km receiving 4950 yen per month and those within 2km receiving 5750 yen. Only 14 people actually walk to work in Hekinan, with most employees electing to drive (as of April 1). The city explained, “We based our system on our surrounding areas and the way we’ve done things up to now,” but in response to the criticism has reduced its payments to 2500 yen for workers within 1km and 5000 yen for those within 2km.

5 thoughts on “274 Municipalities pay officials who walk to work “commuting benefits””

  1. なんだかずいぶん楽しそうですね!!
    It is seem fairly happy scenery. 「Ramen-man aruyo」

    役所を少しだけ援護します。
    I cover the public office only a little.

    私のかつての職場では徒歩の通勤者には一日あたり70円が支払われていました。
    上限は1300円でした。
    In the office before of me、70 yen a day was paid to the person who walked to work.
    The upper bound is 1300 yen.

    その理由は、「靴が減るから」です。
    The reason is “The shoe sole decreases. ”

    自転車ならパンクもするしね。
    It blows out occasionally if it is a bicycle.

    英語が間違ってないか心配です。Don’t mind.(DONMAI)

  2. まさこさん、
    コメントをありがとうございました!英訳も入れておいてくれて本当にうれしい。しかし、最後の文は翻訳になってないよ!後、ラーメンまんって何?ラーメンの入ってる肉まんのことかな?あ、そうだ!マスクをつけた男の画像だったよね?

    確かに僕だって靴代を払ってもらいたいが、交通費を出してくれる習慣のないアメリカでは「徒歩なのに通勤手当」なんて聞くとどうもおかしい話です。

    ちなみに、「交通費手当て」をうまく利用して稼いだことある?誰でもいいですが、どんどん経験をお聞かせください!

  3. 最後の一行は軽い冗談です。

    ラーメンマンは「キン肉マン」というマンガの中の人気キャラクターです。
    Ramen man is a popular character in the cartoon “Kin-niku man(the Muscle Fighter?)”.

    その後、別のストーリーでラーメンマンが主役になりました…あるよ(←ラーメンマンの口癖)。
    Afterwards, ramen man became a leading part by another story.

    http://robin.hp.infoseek.co.jp/ra-/mono.html
    ↑ramen man

    「電車で通勤」と届け出て、数十キロを自転車で走ってくるサラリーマンは多いですよ。
    There is an company employee who is pedaling along early morning.
    To tell the truth, their many are those who commute the train.
    We will earn pocket money pedaling along by tens of kilometers every morning.

  4. すごく変ですね。日本語も変です。

    There are a lot of company employees who pedal the bicycle early morning.

    They obtain the pocket money by running tens of kilometers by bicycle every morning.

    Because their many are those who commute the train on the document.

    むずかしい!!もう限界。

  5. “Claim to take the expensive JR but in fact commute by a cheap private railway”

    Can you think of anything more nefarious!

    Jeez, I hope my place of employment next month pays “walking” benefits — I’m 15 minutes from work on foot.

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