subscription payment options
Updated May 5, 2026
To subscribe to any service please send me an email message informing me of the service you wish to subscribe to and which payment method you prefer. If you are sending money from abroad, you must use PayPal or one of the new services like WISE which allows you to send money from abroad to my postal bank account.
There are two options for PayPal, one for those using my wife's registered PayPal Japanese Yen Account, and the other for those living overseas using my old U.S. PayPal account and sending me the fee in U.S Dollars. I will have PayPal email you a professional business invoice requesting the subscription fee in either Japanese yen or my registered U.S. dollar account.
I only use my wife's Japanese PayPal account (her initials are JK), for those living in Japan, to issue the 5,000 Japanese yen invoice, otherwise I use my own original business account for international account transactions. The Job Service Fee is from that account is $50.00. PayPal provides a secure link which you can use to process the payment through their website using a credit card if necessary.
Explanation of Exchange Rate
When I started this service many years ago, I set the fees at the $1=100 yen rate which was prevalent. There were times when the rate fluctuated wildly during those years, but I never changed the fees. As the exchange rate moved greatly in favor of the U.S.$, I was tempted to increase the fees in Japan, but decided to hang in, even though 90% of subscribers are living in Japan. In the end, since so few people subscribe from abroad and they actually require more of my time to help them, I don't feel an adjustment is necessary
I never transfer money from the States to Japan as I use my American PayPal account to pay some Internet shopping and American service providers, so just enough funds come in to cover those annual expenses. My cost of living in Japan has definitely increased a lot, but I hope to find a few more sponsors in Japan looking to advertise to the free Hokkaido Insider News subscribers. The COVID years definitely hurt enrolment and the U.S. war with Iran, et al has not helped much either. It is becoming more difficult for foreighers to come here to live and work as the rules for residency are changing.
Subscribing from outside of Japan
To subscribe to any service please send me an email message informing me of the service you wish to subscribe to and which payment method you prefer. If you are sending money from abroad, you must use PayPal or one of the new services like WISE which allows you to send money from abroad to my postal bank account in Japan.
Subscribing from within Japan
To subscribe to any of the Hokkaido Insider services from within Japan, I will provide the details of all options by email. I use the Japan Postal Bank or Mitsubishi Bank UFJ, or registered cash mail envelope provided by any post office.