...But in Japan, the situation is kinda different. The license costs 13,600 yen per year ($114) and, as it happens, the Broadcast Law lists no punitive actions for non-payment. In other words, if you don’t want to pay, they can’t make you.

Naughty foreigners who come to live in Japan often tell funny stories of psyching out the “NHK Man” who goes door-to-door asking people if they have a television. In recent years, a simple “nope” isn’t enough to deter them, and they can be a little persistent. Since your average NHK man tends not to be multilingual, simply smiling a lot and speaking English loudly can be enough to make them decide you’re not worth pursing.