On April 8th, Japan introduced its first "ride-sharing" service in Tokyo. This service allows ordinary citizens to use their own vehicles to transport passengers during times of taxi shortages. Unlike popular ride-sharing services abroad, such as Uber and Lyft, drivers under the Japanese system are employed by taxi companies and receive training in passenger transportation and work management.
The newly introduced system operates as a "cashless" service that is only available in designated areas and during specific time slots when there is a need for additional taxis. The Tokyo Hire-Taxi Association held a ceremony to mark the launch of the service on the morning of April 8th. Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito experienced a test ride and expressed his satisfaction with the vehicle's safety and security.
The Ministry of Transport lifted the ban on ride-sharing for commercial purposes in certain areas with limited time slots on April 1st. These areas include Tokyo's 23 wards and several cities in Kanagawa, Aichi, and Kyoto Prefectures. All of these areas are expected to offer ride-share services by the end of April. The ban is also expected to be lifted in eight additional cities in the near future.