Taxi fares in Tokyo will rise for the first time in 15 years from the middle of October. The increased fares will be implemented in all 23 wards of Tokyo, as well as Musashino and Mitaka cities.
According to the transport ministry, the starting fare will go up from 420 yen for the first 1,052 meters to 500 yen for the first 1,096 meters. Currently, for 233 meters thereafter, the fare rises 80 yen. That will change to 100 yen per 250 meters.
The ministry said taxi companies had requested the fare increase due to the rising price of fuel.
© Japan Today
22 Comments
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dan
Don't see my wages going up ...at all.
Gaijinjland
Uhh then why did they lower the starting fare from 700 something yen to 420 5 or 6 years ago? Oh right, because the majority of taxi passengers only go short distances and opted to walk instead of pay and they were loosing money.
Numan
Walk, cycle and bus when I can. I travel by train when I have no other choice.
As a foreigner, tourist, or just new to an area, taxis are universally one of the easiest ways to get scammed. In my early years, I was scammed or cheated a little too often for my liking with taxi drivers in Tokyo and some other prefectures. It mostly involved going the longer routes. Once I knew my way around and enough Japanese, I had to literally tell them which way to go to avoid the extra fees.
I spurned taxis ever since.
Seven
'The ministry said taxi companies had requested the fare increase due to the rising price of fuel."
https://japantoday.com/category/business/japan-to-extend-oil-subsidy-program-to-next-spring-to-curb-price-hike
Draw your own conclusion...
TokyoJoe
And as Uber is banned from Tokyo they have no competition and can do as they wish.
almakukac
Wholesale fuel prices have been stagnant for a year now all around Japan:
https://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/statistics/petroleum_and_lpgas/pl007/results.html
https://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/statistics/petroleum_and_lpgas/pl007/xls/220930o5.xls
wtfjapan
in any case, even at the new rates, cheaper than many places outside Tokyo..... and a hell of a lot cheaper than running a car....
someone that doesnt own a car, ive got 4 cars, my wifes car, cost 39000yen for two years that includes jibaiseki and shaken, bought the car used for 200,000yen 2 yrs ago, still going strong at 90k km.
I change my own oil and filter every 5-6k km around 3000yen. brakes pads are cheap 2000yen , new tires around 3500-4000yen each
get around 18km / L, yes its very cheap to run. Id calculate its costing me around 15-20yen max per km to run, including fuel and maintenance. being a Toyota it rarely needs expensive mechanical repairs
so if your just using a taxi a coupe times a month then yes its cheaper, if you drive 15-20k km a year then a car is far cheaper.
wallace
Stephen Chin
There is zero tipping here in Japan.
Mark
So, will the fares drop when the cost of fuel drops?? I doubt it very much!. or it may take another 15 years.
Kumagaijin
Hopefully this will make your average cab driver a little more friendlier and patient. I learned the hard way of what happens when you park your car in the virtually empty taxi waiting area for two minutes. Boy, do they get aggressive and angry.
Strangerland
This will be good for the drivers. Times are tough right now, and it's not like they were making huge money in the first place.
diagonalslip
didn't they drop the fares a few years ago though? considerably? to try to get business in a declining market.... in any case, even at the new rates, cheaper than many places outside Tokyo..... and a hell of a lot cheaper than running a car....
Yrral
Taxi take to the other side of town,take me as fast as you can, before my woman put me down, Japanese find themselves extorted by Taxi fares,after midnight,when train service stop,why Tokyo train do not run 24/7 like other,like the city that never sleeps
TokyoLiving
Good for the Tokyo taxi drivers..
shogun36
I remember going to places like Korea and Taiwan, a while ago, pre-covid.
And I took taxis in both countries. I noticed their prices were were 2 and in some cases 3 times LESS than anything in Japan. I was in shock.
Yeah, Japanese taxi prices haven't been raised, because they were already such a ripoff. In my area, the starting taxi fare was over 650 yen. Idk what it s today, but that was ridiculous then.
mtuffizi
about time, in 15 years. always enjoyed taxi ride in japan.
wolfshine
Good timing. Now they can fleece all the tourists returning after almost three years.
Stephen Chin
Fifteen Years? No rise in Tokio taxi fares? Therefore, isn't it now time? To raise the fares? But! Not too much! Because !! Drivers will not be tipped!!!
tooheysnew
Assaults on taxi drivers by drunken salarymen to rise as well