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I am reposting the following info, originally posted by my colleague Lauren Shannon of Kimono Wine Bar and Democrats Abroad:

Your FBAR/FATCA Task Force has created two instruments to drive home our efforts seeking relief from potentially draconian fines and penalties in relation to new tax filing requirements. We are gathering data from overseas Americans to use in advocating for amendments and reforms to FATCA. We need your urgent participation in this effort!

1. Take our survey to record your circumstance as an overseas citizen and taxpayer. It is completely anonymous and can be found at http://www.surveymonkey.com/FATCA_FBAR

2. Tell us your story of managing your tax affairs as an expat American. If you have a tale of woe and frustration to tell then please go tohttp://www.ExpatTaxStory.us/ where you can post your story on a completely anonymous basis.

The Task Force has received an invitation to appear at an IRS hearing on May 15 in Washington. Having results from the survey as well as the website will strengthen our position at the hearing. So please complete at least the survey by May 9.Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and Foreign Bank Account Report (FBAR) Survey.

Hello all:

Just a brief note today to say that Ashley Thompson, from the website Surviving in Japan has featured an interview with me regarding Freelancing in Tokyo. For anyone who wants a capsule version of what FIT has to offer and my views on networking and more, check it out. Also, please spend some time enjoying Surviving in Japan, as it is also a great resource for those thinking of coming to Japan to live and work.

For those of you who are putting in any kind of serious time in Tokyo (or anywhere Japan for that matter), be aware that there will be changes made to your residence card (alien registration certificate). You may have already received a pamphlet in the mail giving some information about the upcoming (July 2012) changes, but, if you're like me, it didn't give enough details. 

Happy April!

Yes, I said "happy April." Does that mean I've been in Japan too long? Maybe. But after a grueling five months of dark, dismal, bone-chilling, cold-inducing weather, yes, I'm happy that April, and its promise of warm weather and cherry blossoms, has arrived. 

Hello All,

To any of you who have followed my infrequent blogs with any regularity: Thank you. For those who might just be dropping by: Please check out my other entries; I think you may find them of value. 

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the terrible earthquake that rocked Japan on March 11, 2011 at 2:46 p.m.

Showing up. Seems like a simple concept, doesn't it? And yet, I find here in Tokyo that many foreigners who want to partake of all the great freelance opportunities often can't be bothered with doing what it takes.

"Why are you here?" You will be asked variations of this question at some point while you are in Japan. The most common one might be "Why did you come to Japan?" This might seem a fair enough question, but it has always bothered me. I understand why Japanese people ask it. Many of them have asked me, "Isn't it difficult here? Isn't it expensive? Isn't it crowded? Do you really like the food?" They perhaps cannot understand why a non-Japanese person would actually want to come to Japan and make some kind of life for himself/herself... knowing, as they do, the challenges that await. (Remember, just because they are Japanese doesn't mean it is any easier for them to live here. They have to get on the crowded trains and live in small apartments, too.)

Two weeks into the new year, my message on this website and in my book remains the same: It's up to you. I still meet people here in Tokyo who seem completely unaware of other job opportunities that they are most likely suitable for, such as voiceovers, editing, commercial/model work, magazine/newspaper writing. It's not a big mystery, folks; it's all there waiting for you if you want to take the time to explore the options. So, again, FIT offers all the information you need to hit the ground running in Tokyo, and if you don't want to read the book, at least check out the Helpful Websites section to see the myriad ways you can interact with this wild 'n crazy city, make your presence known and get going.

Is it that time yet? I'm afraid it is. Another year is nearing an end. It's been a rough one for many of us, with the 3/11 earthquake defining almost every step we've taken since. For those of you who are in Tokyo, it may seem as if nothing at all happened. Everyone still seems to be rushing around, wrapped up in their own private worlds, jabbing at their phones, oblivious to all other realities except the glowing screen in front of their faces.