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Japan to lift Uber ban?

By on October 23, 2015

Carpooling, a ride-on-demand concept using an app to call a privately-owned car as taxi that’s becoming popular in other countries, is still banned in Japan. The ban on shiro takus (white taxis without permission to engage in such activity) has to do with the business model being in conflict with the country’s road transport law on public safety.

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But that might just change. On the 20th October, PM Abe in a Zone Advisory Council meeting, has announced the government will be studying ways and means to relax the rules for Shiro Taku  in order to make the concept work in Japan and  boost tourism, according to Yomiuri Online news

Uber is an American transportation network that started the Uber cab concept in San Francisco in 2009. Uber is similar to having a personal driver who takes you to your destination in any of the cities where Uber operates. Drivers don’t work for Uber but instead pay a percentage of whatever they make in order to get listed. Uber sometimes runs promo deals such as free rides up to a certain amount. But only those who create an account and can pay via credit card or paypal can use the service.

Sales from Uber business in San Francisco alone runs to about $500M a year which is three times that of the Taxi’s annual revenue. While lifting the ban could offer convenience to inbound tourists, this could also mean bad news for taxi companies and private taxi drivers in Japan.

The good news is,  this could be an opportunity for English-speaking foreigners to make extra bucks.

https://www.uber.com/ja/cities/tokyo

About Kim Boland