[jasonbvr]

What? I don't know where you were or what it was like back in the day, but JET's definitely pay income tax and pension fees. The pension you receive back when you leave Japan. It is around 40k yen out of your pay compared to the income tax I have to pay (10k) which I can receive most of it back. I have to fill out forms just like the JET's, but it is fairly easy. The exemption for US income tax is for people earning up to 60k USD a year. After that, you have to pay. You will still file, whether over or under 60k USD.