Japan launches ride-hailing services in Tokyo; other areas to follow

The Tokyo Hire-Taxi Association, one of the operators involved in the project

Stop right there driver. Taxi companies and their associates should have zero to do with this.

If not Uber, why not let Grab in, who are elsewhere in Asia, and stop re-inventing wheels (pun intended).

Ride-hailing services (a wolf) in a sheep's clothing. This is nothing more than continued protectionism and keeping the status quo.

stop re-inventing wheels

but Japanese always reinvent nearly everything to a custom more drama and confusing and difficult to use you need thousand page manuals to use it.

allowing drivers with a standard license to offer taxi services on specified days and hours using their own private vehicle, provided they are under the management of a local taxi company.

lol, that's pretty much the same taxi companies in disguise, making it impossible for someone else to step into their business hub. They will also manage their timetables, which means they will "allow" the shifts nobody wants, like 3am on Tuesdays.

While most of the western world and many countries around Asia have been using Uber or other ride hailing services for years, Japan has been stalling and stalling and the only reason is because they in the end want to control it, like everything else. They are always always late to the game and the reason is because they sit and study what it is and see how it's working in other countries and then they find ways to rebrand it here with a control element to it. Imagine Uber saying to drivers you can use your own car but only if you're under the umbrella of a Taxi company LOL, totally defeats the purpose of giving the consumer more options, cheaper prices etc. It's all about control and condition here, business as usual.

I support the ride-share spread in Japan.

However, the areas that need the most are not Tokyo, or other major cities but very rural areas like local city in Yamagata or Iwate pref. This is because there are fewer mobility services in those areas, making the people who only rely on public transportions which have shirinken because of smaller population. On the other hand, people in those rural areas have two or more cars.

Let the consumer choose without interference from the government, anyone ever heard of capitalism? Or if the government does want to get involved then that's fine let them offer their option and then let private companies compete with them, that's fair. In the end it's the best price and service that the consumer can decide on based on what is important to them.

Welcome to 2009, Japan.

An uber-type/ride-hailing service would probably have trouble competing with the traditional taxi services in Japan that Japanese know and trust. Uber works (reasonably well) in other nations because the cars are cleaner than taxis and often the service is better and cheaper.

Japanese have to hoof it , when the subway shut down in Tokyo at 12.00 am ,maybe running the subway 24 hours like in NYC

""The country partially lifted a ban on the services earlier this month, allowing drivers with a standard license to offer taxi services on specified days and hours using their own private vehicle, provided they are under the management of a local taxi company.""

Now how much simpler can it get??

Just can't do any thing the simple way, someone has to oversee your daily life even in your own car.

By hiding the number plates, the photo denies us a look at the new bit, which is legal taxis on white coloured private plates. Commercial cars like taxis have green plates.

I support apps for taxis, but not tech bro companies like Uber and Lyft who don't care about things like women's safety or employment law. They treat drivers like dirt and are simply gathering big data in readiness for the day self-driving lets them sack all the drivers.

An uber-type/ride-hailing service would probably have trouble competing

Yeah, I don't know think so. People used to say that Japanese would only buy good quality, well known brands. But Donki is still going very strong. Similar to Starbucks too, some thought they wouldn't stand a chance against the traditional coffee places because Starbucks is a non smoking place. And they ate alive all those kissaten.

If they were to allow Uber into the car sharing territory, they would destroy the taxi industry (at least in urban areas).

""

under the management of a local taxi company""

They do nothing and your do everything else, You drive, you pay for insurance, you pay for gas, you pay for all maintenance, clean your and shine your car, and they do NOTHING but refer a customer then take their undisclosed cut

Might as well just drive alone, enjoy your loud music and privacy .

The Japanese government can’t allow something trike free-market like Uber of Lyft; the taxi companies ( = pension service for old guys) will collapse!

Just looking at the pictures tells it all nothing will ever change men in the front ladies in the back!

It will be interesting to see what happens when they implement this in Okinawa, where there are no mass transit services (no trains, nobody uses the buses) and four times the national average for cars per family.

There are plenty of people in Japan that could be taxi drivers but 200.000 yen a month for a full time job is not much of an enticement.

Welcome to the year 2010

Nobody uses the bus, lol. Guess again (Okinawa), however, it is not unusual for me to ride my bicycle all the way to Naha, from Chatan.

Straight up ripped off Uber's business model after kicking them out of Japan. Should be ashamed.

Nothing wrong with the Japanese companies looking after their own.

Unlike sellouts like other countries.

Speed Apr. 8 10:02 pm JST

Straight up ripped off Uber's business model after kicking them out of Japan. Should be ashamed.

Maybe, for once, the Japanese took a page from the china-nese. ie, invite foreigners in, steal their business model, then kick them out of the country.

What? Tokyo doesn't need this ride hailing service. Anyone can call a taxi 24/7 anytime.

Competition is good for the consumer. I'll stick to taxis in Japan however, same as I do here in Canada. I prefer taxis over ride hailing - it's a better quality of service in my mind.

> factcheckerApr. 8  04:46 pm JST

The Tokyo Hire-Taxi Association, one of the operators involved in the project

Stop right there driver. Taxi companies and their associates should have zero to do with this.

If not Uber, why not let Grab in, who are elsewhere in Asia, and stop re-inventing wheels (pun intended).

Yes, this illustrates Japan's corporatocracy.

I remember a time while working with the Japanese health ministry a few years back when they were nearing completion of a ban on smoking in workplaces. However, the strong influence of the taxi industry on the government prevented its implementation. Go figure.

Juber?

Drivers working for taxi companies with no benefits competing against union taxi drivers in the same company.

Only an idiot would do that!

Yeah, I don't know think so. People used to say that Japanese would only buy good quality, well known brands. But Donki is still going very strong. Similar to Starbucks too, some thought they wouldn't stand a chance against the traditional coffee places because Starbucks is a non smoking place. And they ate alive all those kissaten.

If they were to allow Uber into the car sharing territory, they would destroy the taxi industry (at least in urban areas).

Do not forget the Iphone!

@kaimicahl

women in Japan prefers to stand behind the men so that they can grab the wallet, empty it and put it back in men’s back pockets. Men accepts it also, so there is no theft, all voluntary actions.

This reminds me way way back when Japan BLOCKED Black Berry etc from entering so we were FORCED to buy & use J-phones, stupid & pointless once again strikes our shores!!!!

What a joke! Just another way to rip off the economically challenged!

fact checker: "Stop right there driver. Taxi companies and their associates should have zero to do with this."

Yeah, but we're talking about this Ayn Rand-like government. They've fought against progress for years now while other countries have been using similar services, and now that they have no choice, they demand it "be shared" with the powers that be (in this case, taxi companies, but also a lot of government payments and things they have to buy), and the government touts it like it was their big idea in the first place and it's created here.

So far as I can tell, the taxi industry in Japan is an income lifeline for elderly men (and their spouses). Whatever becomes of this, I hope it doesn't hurt those older folks who depend on it to supplement their limited and likely meager budgets.