Japan to allow limited rideshare services starting April 2024 Japan will open its transport market to rideshare companies for the first time in 2024. Leading rideshare operator Uber started operations in 2011 and kicked off competition with cabs in 2012, then entered many markets with a scofflaw attitude that saw it operate even though its services were not legal. Uber tried to do that …
It's not only that. If you want to be a "scofflaw" (as per the article) in Japan, you either strike out on your own (high risk, high reward, particularly attractive to western immigrants) or roll in with the existing local grey/black economy. (or do some other lower-level shit like promoting bitcoin or selling pornography). And if you're a non-western immigrant, you just keep your nose down and do your regular (healthcare, restaurant, combini, etc.) job so that you can eventually gain citizenship (and besides, you're not going to be able to change jobs without putting your visa at risk).
This foreign attempt at setting up a new grey economy is destined to fail.
If the taxi companies were more responsive, there wouldn't be a need for it. Around here you'll get a song and dance calling a cab... and they'll choose their fares. "Nah, I'm not going there tonight". They don't even have dispatchers anymore, it's guys sitting at home with their cell phones taking redirected calls. Fuck em, I hope they go out of business.
I'm sure it's not like that everywhere, but I hear similar laments.
Taxi companies are quite responsive in Japan. There's an uber-like app you can use to call a taxi, and you normally get a car in less than 15 minutes.
That said, I noticed it has become quite a bit harder to hail a taxi on the street. Especially at busy times, all taxis have their hired light on even when empty. I presume that's because people have called them via the app.
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