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Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Japan to tighten rules on foreign tourists over unpaid medical bills
The government is also considering making private medical insurance mandatory for foreign visitors. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG TOKYO - The Japanese government is set to tighten measures against unpaid medical bills left by foreign tourists who received treatment during their stay, sources close to the matter said June 4. The measure, to be included in a forthcoming annual basic policy on economic and fiscal management to be approved by the Cabinet, is expected to state clearly that the government will 'review insurance coverage for foreigners'. Under the stricter rules, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is expected to share information on foreign visitors with significant unpaid medical bills with the Immigration Services Agency, allowing for more stringent entry screenings. The government is also considering making private medical insurance mandatory for foreign visitors. According to a survey conducted by the ministry covering about 5,500 medical institutions nationwide, 11,372 foreign visitors received medical care in Japan in September 2024. Of those, 0.8 per cent failed to pay, leaving unpaid charges totaling approximately 61.35 million yen (S$551,000). Meanwhile, foreigners registered as residents and staying in Japan for more than three months are generally required to enrol in the National Health Insurance programme – a system for the self-employed and unemployed – if they are not covered by another form of public health insurance. KYODO NEWS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
MOH debunks fake news claiming Covid-19 autopsy and jail for the unvaccinated
MOH urged the public to not spread unsubstantiated claims that may cause public alarm. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG SINGAPORE – Two pieces of fake news made about Covid-19 in Singapore have been debunked by the Ministry of Health (MOH), as it urged the public to not spread unsubstantiated claims that may cause public alarm. In a statement on June 3 , the ministry said it is aware of 'two pieces of misinformation' currently being spread on social media . The first has to do with a message claiming that Singapore was the first country to conduct an autopsy on a person who had tested positive for Covid-19, which was found to exist as a bacterium and not a virus. The claim was first circulated in 2021, and re-emerged recently. 'This is false. As clarified by the ministry then, Singapore has not performed such an autopsy, and it is also not true that Covid-19 is caused by a bacterium,' said MOH. It also said social media posts alleging that Singapore had enacted laws to mandate vaccines and jail those unvaccinated after Microsoft founder Bill Gates visited the Republic in early May are not true. The Straits Times found that such claims had been published in articles on two sites - Slay News and The People's Voice , which both tout themselves as news sites. Slay News describes itself as 'unapologetically pro-America and pro-free speech', while The People's Voice says it covers 'topics the mainstream media won't touch'. A search online shows that Slay News' website is registered in North Carolina , and a check on its address in Google Maps shows what looks to be a small farmhouse along a highway stretch. The People's Voice meanwhile has its website registered in Arizona , although it has no listed company address. Most of the articles published on both sites centre around right-wing ideology, conspiracy theories and anti-vaccine rhetoric, with fact-checking website Snopes labelling The People's Voice as a rebrand of disinformation-spreading site N ewsPunch . For accurate and up-to-date information, members of the public may visit the MOH website at instead. Aqil Hamzah is a journalist covering breaking news at The Straits Times, with interests in crime and technology. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Straits Times
Shopping overseas? 5 tips to avoid getting stopped at Customs
Noting the Customs rules upon arrival in Singapore can help travellers avoid unnecessary trouble at Changi Airport. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG SINGAPORE – If you are planning to shop overseas during the June school holidays, it is essential to know how to navigate Customs regulations such as duty-free concession and GST relief . In late May, nearly 200 travellers were caught at Singapore's land, sea and air checkpoints for failing to declare more than $20,000 in cash, and evading taxes on tobacco and other goods. These included items such as collectible toys, luxury goods, branded shoes and liquor exceeding the duty-free allowance. Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers conduct selective searches at the checkpoints. Travellers who fail to declare items in excess of allowances or make an incorrect declaration must settle their Customs offences with an out-of-court composition sum of up to $5,000 or prosecution in court, depending on the severity of the offence. During a week-long operation by government agencies between May 21 and May 27, a traveller was caught for not declaring his GST-payable items, which included collectible toys and a pair of branded shoes. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CUSTOMS Shopping is a quotidian part of travel, especially when chasing hard-to-find items or better prices abroad. To avoid trouble when you return to Singapore, here are some essential tips to keep in mind. 1. Know the value of tax-free goods you can bring in All goods brought into Singapore are subject to goods and services tax, currently pegged at 9 per cent. However, travellers are granted GST import relief based on the duration of their trip. For those who have been overseas for 48 hours or more, they are entitled to GST relief of up to $500. For trips under 48 hours, the value is capped at $100. Goods exceeding the GST import relief will be taxed. PHOTO: ST FILE These amounts apply to the total value of goods bought overseas, excluding liquor and tobacco. Any value above the relief limit is taxable, and travellers are required to declare it upon or prior to arrival. Singapore work permit, employment pass, student pass, dependent pass or long-term pass holders, as well as crew, are not entitled to GST import relief. 2. Avoid posting your overseas loot online It may be tempting to show off your new purchases on social media, especially exclusive or limited-edition buys. But Mr Kor Bing Keong, GST leader at professional services firm PwC, who advises corporate clients on GST transactions and compliance, discourages it. Travellers have to be mindful of the risk involved in posting about one's purchases on social media, he says. 'Practise posting mindfully so you don't run the risk of drawing so much attention that it makes it difficult for the authorities to ignore.' Posting about high-value goods and failing to declare them may also leave a digital paper trail that could work against you in the event that customs officers trawl online posts. Dr Lynda Wee, an adjunct associate professor at NTU's Nanyang Business School, adds that the social media landscape is transparent. 'Once you post publicly online, everybody gets to see you. So, say you are stopped at Customs and the authorities are looking for evidence. You may have to explain yourself if they come across your post,' she says. 3. Note the most 'risky' items that travellers typically fail to declare Dr Wee says travellers often assume items purchased abroad that can be immediately worn or used while overseas do not need to be declared. These include jewellery, designer bags and clothes. Used articles and personal belongings refer to items that the traveller already had before departure from Singapore, and are not subject to any tax. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI The Singapore Customs website states that 'items purchased or acquired abroad by the traveller to bring into Singapore' are subject to GST, regardless of whether a foreign sales tax or value-added tax has been paid. Even if the price tag or packaging was removed, or if the item was purchased from a second-hand shop, it will be subject to GST. Used articles and personal belongings refer to items that the traveller already had before departure from Singapore. Dr Wee says the declaration system relies not only on travellers being well-versed in customs rules and regulations, but is also largely honour-based. This places much of the burden on customs officers, who must visually detect undeclared goods and assess whether items are new or dutiable. She adds: 'In Changi Airport, the arrival process is designed to be fast and efficient for travellers, so they have random spot checks instead of having everyone put their luggage through scanning before exit. 'I think travellers figure that because the checking process is quite loose, they can take a gamble on bringing items in without declaring.' 4. Gifts are also subject to GST It is a common misconception that gifts are exempt from GST, but what matters to Customs authorities is the total value of goods brought in. As such, gifts that exceed the GST import relief threshold must be declared. Presents bought or received abroad, such as luxury bags, may be subject to GST upon return to Singapore. PHOTO: UNSPLASH For example, if a friend overseas surprises you with a luxury bag worth $5,000 and you bring it back to Singapore, GST will be charged on the value exceeding your relief allowance. If no receipt is available, Customs officers will assess the value of the goods based on the value of identical or similar goods when calculating the GST payable. Mr Kor says if physical receipts are not available, having a digital copy of the receipt will be useful. 5. If unsure, ask or declare Mr Kor says the best way to ensure that travellers do not flout customs regulations is to check the allowances on the Singapore Customs website. Singapore Customs also provides digital declaration options via the Customs@SG web portal and mobile app. These platforms allow travellers to declare taxable goods before arriving, pay the relevant taxes in advance and skip paperwork at the checkpoint. To further streamline the process, Dr Wee says she typically packs goods that will need to be declared in a separate bag or at the top of her luggage for easy access at the airport. If you are unsure, ask or declare. It is better to do so than to run the risk of being caught and penalised. For more information, go to Sarah Stanley is a journalist at The Straits Times who covers travel, lifestyle and aviation. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
47 countries to attend 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore
The dialogue is Asia's premier defence summit to discuss critical security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG SINGAPORE – Forty-seven countries, including 40 minister-level delegates, will attend the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD), which will take place at the Shangri-La Hotel from May 30 to June 1. French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to deliver this year's keynote speech on the evening of May 30. This is the first time a European leader will give the keynote address at the annual security forum, and comes as Singapore and France commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is also set to make an address. His special address will be on the afternoon of May 31. The dialogue is organised by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), and is Asia's premier defence summit to discuss critical security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region. The 2024 dialogue was attended by representatives from 45 countries, so the 47 in 2025 would mark a broader international showing. The annual forum, which began in 2002, has provided a 'valuable, open and neutral' platform for the exchange of perspectives on defence and security issues and initiatives over the years, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said in a statement on the evening of May 29. The event is typically attended by top defence government representatives from both China and the US, making it a platform for the two superpowers to hold talks to ease friction between them. In 2024 , then US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin met with his Chinese counterpart, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun, for instance. But such ministerial-level bilateral talks would be missing this year, as China indicated, just a day before the forum kicks off, that it would instead send a People's Liberation Army National Defence University delegation instead of Admiral Dong. Mindef did not mention who will lead the Chinese delegation in its statement. This would be the first time since 2019 that China has not sent its defence minister for the forum, where China's views on issues such as Taiwan and the South China Sea are closely watched. The US kept with making high-level representation at the forum by sending a contingent led by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is expected to speak at the dialogue's first plenary session on May 31. Mr Hegseth, a former Fox News host and a veteran of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, assumed office in January under the new administration of US President Donald Trump. His speech at the dialogue will be closely watched as he is expected to articulate the Trump administration's defence approach for this region. The first plenary session is titled 'United States' New Ambitions for Indo-Pacific Security'. A total of seven plenary sessions and three special sessions are planned for the weekend. IISS had yet to announce the full list of speakers by the time this article was published, but Mindef in its statement said Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing will speak at the seventh plenary session on June 1. This session's topic is 'Enhancing Security Cooperation for a Stable Asia-Pacific'. Mindef also said that as a regular feature of the dialogue, Mr Chan will host visiting ministers to roundtable discussions on May 31 and June 1, as well as defence ministers under the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) to breakfast. Mr Chan will also conduct bilateral meetings with ministers and senior officials from various countries on the sidelines of the SLD, Mindef said. Separately, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will host delegates to a dinner at St Regis Singapore on May 31. Apart from the 40 minister-level delegates, country representatives also include 20 chief of defence forces and more than 20 senior defence officials. Wong Pei Ting is a correspondent at The Straits Times. She covers politics and social affairs. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Didn't vote in GE2025? Apply to restore your name to Registers of Electors from May 30
The Elections Department encouraged non-voters to apply to restore their names so that they are able to vote in the next election. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG Didn't vote in GE2025? Apply to restore your name to Registers of Electors from May 30 SINGAPORE - If you failed to cast your vote at the 2025 General Election , you will be able to apply to restore your name to the Registers of Electors from May 30. In a statement on May 29, the Elections Department (ELD) said that Singaporeans can check their particulars and voter status online, and apply to restore their names, on the ELD website or via the Singpass app. The names of eligible voters who did not cast their votes during GE2025 were removed from the Registers in accordance with the Parliamentary Elections Act, said ELD. It encouraged such non-voters to apply to restore their names so that they are able to vote in the next election. Under the law, ELD will not be able to restore their names once the writ for an election is issued. Those who are unable to check their particulars in the Registers electronically may do so at any community centre or club or ServiceSG Centre. They can also do so at the ELD office by making an e-appointment via the ELD website or by calling 1800-225-5353. The lists of community centres or clubs and ServiceSG Centres can be found at and respectively. Overseas Singaporeans who are unable to check their particulars online may do so at Singapore overseas missions serving as overseas registration centres. A list of such centres can be found at The 2025 General Election saw the lowest voter turnout by percentage since 1968. On Polling Day, 92.47 per cent of registered voters cast their ballots in Singapore. After the addition of overseas voters, GE2025 saw a total turnout of 92.83 per cent, with 2,438,610 of 2,627,026 registered voters in contested constituencies casting their ballots. Political observers said the likeliest explanation for the lower turnout in 2025 was that Singaporeans had already made travel plans before the election was called, taking advantage of the May Day holiday that fell on a Thursday. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
