posted on March 11, 2007 02:16:53 PM
I lived in Okinawa for 5 years. As I recall, in order to get a telephone, we had to buy stock in the Japanese Telephone Company. I was going through some old files and found this. I THINK it's a stock certificate (maybe). If there's anyone who can give me a rough translation (or even just identify it), I'd be most grateful. Since I'm not sure exactly what it is, don't know if it's worth something (as in stock) or just an interesting item.
[ edited by blueyes29 on Mar 11, 2007 02:17 PM ]
posted on March 11, 2007 01:56:56 PM
This looks like an IOU,a bond earning 8.6% per annum,it matures in SHOWA period year 65 ,sept 25th which comes to year 1991.
The emperor of the Showa period has past away in 1989 and the new emperor reigns ,it is now the Heisei period which begins in 1/8/1989.
So you figure a Yen 10,000 bond earning 8.6% per annum starting in the year you bought it,how much is accrued interest now?
You may want to get in touch with the phone co and talk about how to redeem this bond?
There are a few dates,not sure which one is the maturity date?
posted on March 11, 2007 03:32:38 PM
those 10 coupon like slips on the bottom,are you susposed to clip them and sent them in?
If so,then it confirms what it said above,860 yen interest a year,mature in 10 years and you get 10 coupons of 860 yen each year.
posted on March 11, 2007 02:37:07 PM
Thanks for the help...now all I need to find out is how to contact the phone company on Okinawa! I can try a Google search...any ideas on an English translation of what to enter in the search? I'm not getting my hopes up but the info sounds good...Will check out the Yen/Dollar exchange rate too...Back in the days I was there, I think it was 30 to 1 or something like that...
posted on March 11, 2007 02:48:33 PM
It's an NTT phone line bond - used to be required when anyone wanted a phone line in Japan eons ago. The bond was introduced just after WWII to fund the cost of the telephone network. Original cost of a Japanese NTT line was around ¥72,800 including installation and bond. The other reason for the bond was so you didn't vanish leaving a huge unpaid bill for the telephone company.
Might be worth something, but probably much less than you paid as there is a thriving secondary market in "used" phone lines, plus many Japanese no longer have fixed lines but prefer to use "keitai" or mobile phones. When I sold several of my NTT lines in 2001, I got around ¥24,000 - ¥44,000 depending on where they were registered and how many lines were still available in that area. Some prefixes are much sort after so get better money.
posted on March 11, 2007 03:04:07 PM
Thanks, agitprop...that's just the information I was looking for. Where did you go/who did you contact to sell your bond? Any contact info will be MOST helpful. I lived in Okinawa in the mid-1970s so guess that qualifies as "eons ago" (even though, in a lot of ways, it seems like yesterday...)...Thanks again!
posted on March 11, 2007 05:51:55 PM
call your Japanese consulate if there is one in your city ,if not call the japanese embassy .
JETROL is an organisation which helps American do business in Japan,they have closed quite a few of their local offices due to budget constraint,if there is one in your city,call them too.
Else if you have an account with a major brokerage firm,ask them but you may not get much after all the efforts and converting it into us dollars.
posted on March 11, 2007 07:43:57 PM
Most of us gaijins (i.e. non Japanese) sell their NTT phone lines (bond included) to a phone line reseller or advertise it on the base px "swaps/for sale/wanted" board (if military) as incoming personnel living off-base always need a phone line.
To transfer you'll need to fill in a NTT form (in nihongo) and affix your personal seal or signature to it, usually at an NTT office... so might be a little difficult for you.
posted on March 11, 2007 10:25:10 PM
So...might this be an item to list on eBay? I do sell to Japanese folk and military people buy on eBay too. Any thoughts/other suggestions?
posted on March 12, 2007 07:59:54 AM
You're right, hwahwa...it's just for the bond and NOT the phone line so it's probably worthless as far as a telephone line is concerned. Will probably just end up contacting one of the agencies mentioned and see what transpires...
posted on March 12, 2007 10:12:32 AM
If you can get someone to list it on YAHOO-JAPAN,may be someone will bid on it.
This may just be the best way to get your money back in us dollars .
Is this a bearer bond anyone can cash?
[ edited by hwahwa on Mar 12, 2007 10:13 AM ]
posted on March 12, 2007 10:47:33 AM
Thanks, hwahwa...I really have no idea if it's a "bearer bond" or not as I simply cannot read the Japanese. What I'm thinking now might be the easiest thing to do is send it back to Okinawa...I'm thinking I can find a contact point...and see what they can do with it there...One does find some interesting things when cleaning out files...Thanks again...
