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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019.Toyota's Japan Taxi becomes an expensive Olympic symbol
By Tim Kelly TOKYO©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
15 Comments
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JeffLee
Why didn't they simply issue a tender to the automakers listing the specifications and then select the best design? Isn't that how things are supposed to be done in a developed country?
drlucifer
Sloppy reporting again, only the reporter feels stating the actual cost of the subsidy is not necessary.
He doesn't know that the subsidies are funded by tax payers.
Wish I could receive subsidy to send my children to college and high school.
Capitalism, Take from the struggling and give to the haves
kohakuebisu
Lots of strange criticisms in this article.
LPG vehicles are very good for the environment, but most people can't own one or fill one up. Of course, they are not going to have scale-benefits for the manufacturer and will be costly to produce.
So the author thinks half the pollution and 10% fewer accidents aren't worth paying for? If a taxi does 500,000 km over its lifespan, wouldn't the fuel economy eventually cover the higher sticker price? You can't get half the pollution without using close to half the fuel.
Throw in the accessibility features and it sounds like you have a pretty good car. Accessibility is very much a work in progress, so you are not going to nail it in a single iteration. This is a much bigger issue for hotels.
Ganbare Japan!
Whats the problem? These taxis are cheaper than a Yubari Melon.
Kenji Fujimori
Uber needs to come, taxi unions here wont all it, zaibatsu monopolies are hard to break here..
talaraedokko
It's time for Japan, Inc to parade their best. There won’t be another opportunity to boast as these two years where the Rugby then olympics will attract many. Wish them all luck.
MarkX
I wonder what complex design made it unexportable? Is it the LP gas it uses?
Samit Basu
New York had something similar called the Taxi Of Tomorrow, it was rolled out in 2011 and all new New York Taxi drivers were required to buy this specific model from Nissan called NV200.
The Nissan NV200 ToT was configured similar to the Toyota Japan Taxi. But the New York Taxi commission reversed the mandatory purchase in 2018 and cap drivers are free to purchase whaterver vehicle they want.
AussiePete
It MUST be so expensive because (shock, horror), Japanese taxi drivers live in Japan, not other countries around Asia. Do you expect your Tokyo driver to be commuting from Jakarta each day?
vinarius@pm.catv.ne.jp
THANKS to god, it is not Nissan. Every Japanese will be ashamed if it is Nissan. Gambare Toyota.
drlucifer
Taxis in Sk start at 3300won (300yen).
papigiulio
What the? 3.5 million yen??????????? No wonder there need to be budget cuts.
Arturo Jamilla
Taxis in Japan. Expensive rides just for the sake of being expensive with no reason in sight for why it MUST be so expensive. Taxis are relatively dirt cheap in many other countries around Asia.