ふるさと納税、大幅増　２０年度、最高６７２５億円―総務省

　総務省は３０日、ふるさと納税の２０２０年度の寄付総額が６７２４億９０００万円になったと発表した。前年度比１．４倍で過去最高。寄付件数も同１．５倍の３４８８万８０００件に伸び、利用者の拡大が顕著になった。
　新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大による「巣ごもり需要」で、肉や魚介などの返礼品を自宅で楽しむ人が増えた可能性がある。コロナで影響を受ける生産者や、災害被災地の支援を目的に寄付する人も多いとみられる。
　武田良太総務相は３０日の閣議後記者会見で「国民に広く浸透し、定着が進んでいる。災害時の支援などさまざまな取り組みに活用されており、さらなる広がりに期待したい」と述べた。（2021/07/30-11:39）

The total sum of money collected under Japan's "furusato nozei" hometown donation system in fiscal 2020, which ended in March, grew about 40 pct from the previous year to a record 672,490 million yen, the internal affairs ministry said Friday.
   The number of donations increased about 50 pct to 34,888,000, according to the ministry.
   The sharp growth apparently reflected an increase in donors looking to enjoy regional specialties given as return gifts, such as meat and fish, while staying home amid the novel coronavirus epidemic. In addition, many people are believed to have made donations to support farmers and others hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis and areas ravaged by natural disasters.
   Under the furusato nozei system, people can make donations to local governments of their choice and qualify for residential tax breaks in exchange. Many recipient local governments offer gifts to donors in return. The amount of the donation minus 2,000 yen is deducted from the donor's residential tax.
   The city of Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture, southwestern Japan, attracted the largest amount of donations, at 13,525 million yen, followed by the city of Monbetsu, Hokkaido, northernmost Japan, at 13,393 million yen, and the city of Nemuro, also in Hokkaido, at 12,546 million yen, the ministry said.