The Debate Over Ride-Sharing and What It Reveals About Japanese Society

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  Why Opening Uber in Japan Usually Gets You a Taxi Imagine that you are in Tokyo and decide to call a ride. You open the Uber app, expecting the familiar experience you have had in many other countries. A nearby driver should appear on the screen and soon arrive to pick you up. Instead, what usually arrives is a licensed taxi. For many visitors to Japan, this is one of the country's more surprising little discoveries. In much of the world, Uber means one thing: ride-sharing.  You tap a button, a nearby driver arrives, and you are on your way. In Japan, however, the experience has long been quite different. Ask many Japanese people what Uber is, and they are more likely to think of Uber Eats than ride-sharing. For years, one of the world's most famous mobility brands was known in Japan primarily as a food delivery service. How did that happen? Why Japan Kept Ride-Sharing at a Distance For decades, Japanese law generally prohibited private individuals from transporting passenge...
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