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Kansai taxis flout laws in quest for more lucrative business

23 Comments

Trouble is brewing among taxi firms in the Kansai region. Asahi Geino (Oct 23) reports on the recent proliferation of what it calls "yakuza taxis" in front of the terminal building at Osaka International Airport in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture. One company seems to be at the root of the trouble, but the magazine conceals its name, referring to it only as "Company X."

"That outfit is staking out the airport as its own turf," a veteran driver is quoted as saying. "What those guys have started doing is posting signs in the airport, completely without permission, that aim at getting business from long-haul customers. That's completely illegal."

The posted signs reportedly say "Taxi customers wishing to go long distances please board over here." And the porters working in the airport connive with Company X by directing the shorter fares to another queue -- which is also illegal.

"To make sure the airport porters are suitably encouraged, drivers from Company X buys them drinks or give them money for their meals," an unnamed driver in his 50s tells the magazine.

The abuses by Company X have become so bold, the taxi drivers' labor union filed a complaint with the District Land Transport Bureau, claiming that the drivers of Company X had been intimidating cabs operated by other companies to keep them away from the airport.

Asahi Geino's source claims that through their aggressive behavior, some drivers have been raking in as much as 1.2 million yen a month, more than quadruple an ordinary driver's take-home pay.

So far, however, no response to the claims have been forthcoming from the land transport bureau.

Meanwhile, drivers who refuse to be intimidated by Company X's territorial claims at the airport are finding themselves on the receiving end of threats.

"One of their drivers warned me, 'We've got the backing of the such-and-such gang,'" the aforementioned driver says. (The name of the gang is left out.)

Suitably intimidated by the threats, many drivers have avoided looking for fares at the airport and the dispute has quieted down on the surface. But Company X continues to exert its control by grabbing a lion's share of long-distance fares.

"When we telephone the transport bureau and ask why they haven't taken any action, they just pass the buck, telling us, 'This is a matter to be worked out by the taxi association,'" a union member is quoted as saying.

Another factor affecting the taxi business in Osaka is the recent proliferation of cheap, unlicensed cabs. Called "shirotaku" on account of their white license plates (the plates on licensed taxis and other commercial vehicles are green), these cars are said to prowl the entertainment districts, ferrying hostesses to and from the clubs or lounges where they are employed.

"For a short while, the so-called 'one coin' taxis (so said because their meters start from 500 yen, as opposed to 730 yen for regular cabs) became controversial," a middle aged driver tells the magazine. "But these 'shirotaku' are even cheaper, and we can't compete with them in terms of price."

Not only are the "shirotaku" illegal, but if one should become involved in a traffic accident, its liability insurance would be invalidated.

The land transport bureaus in the Kansai area only have a few dozen staff to monitor the activities of over 20,000 taxis on the road.

"We don't expect them to nab every single violation," says a union member. "But they play it safe by assigning local bureau chiefs as on temporary loan from Tokyo. And the ones at managerial level are in cahoots with the major taxi companies."

Most passengers, needless to say, are oblivious to the intrigues going on in the taxi industry.

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

23 Comments
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How does the magazine expect to effect any change at all to this alleged behavior if it doesn't even identify this Company X? One wonders why it even bothered to publish it at all.

15 ( +17 / -2 )

Looks like we've got a war brewing in Kansai. Eventually... the other cab companies may have to join a Yakuza group if they're not aligned with one already. Either way... this is a turf war and it could get ugly. Don't be surprised to read about a rash of suicides by taxi drivers in Kansai.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

It's like this at many airports in many developing countries in the world.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

How does the magazine expect to effect any change at all to this alleged behavior if it doesn't even identify this Company X?

That is indeed an infuriating part of Japanese reporting on stuff like this, the name of the person(s) committing the outrageous acts is ommitted and, if on TV, their face is mosaiced (unless they have been arrested, at which point they will identify them). One of the most useful aspects about consumer-watchdog-type investigative reporting in North America is that it exposes these crooks to public outrage, which often times leads officialdom to actually doing something about it.. That might hopefully still be the case here - the people in a position to do something about htis company X already know who it is - but it probably diminishes the deterrant effect of reporting on others who know that their identities will not be revealed even if a reporter does catch on to what they are doing.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

A taxi driver making $11,000 month?! Is this even possible?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

And what are the police doing about this illegal stuff? My guess is, given it's Japan, HELPING the yakuza.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

Strange going ons.

Itami is govt. owned 100% through the New Kansai International Airport Corp. Currently they are seeking tenders to take over the management(together with Kanku) so as to nullify their colossal debts.

At such a stage, why would they turn a blind eye to gang-connected standover tactics being openly and illegally used?

Smells of Amakudari.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

@senseiman... totally agree about good investigative reporting and also wish Japanese publications and news stations would follow suit. It would do a lot to making Japan more transparent and hopefully things will change going forward. But... right now in Japan... if you dig too deep into things you might regret it. Japan can be a dangerous place if you try to rock the boat. Just reporting that "company x", is doing such things may get the magazine in hot water. Because the vast majority of the bad goings on in Japan is not properly reported many foreigners believe wrongly that Japan is an Eden of sorts with very low crime... and their right.... When I was a kid there was a place called Federal Hill, it was the safest neighborhood in the area... why, because it was the neighborhood were the Mafia lived. All of that said... I sometimes yearn for the days when the Mafia controlled things. If you stayed out of their business they'd stay out of yours. In the early days they did not deal in drugs and kept them out of their neighborhoods. Just maybe Japan's way is better... hard to say.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Zichi,

Ditto on MK Taxi, at least to Kanku. Have you gotten good deals to Itami? From Kobe, they've told us they don't operate vans for groups, so the fare is pretty outrageous. If not, any alternatives you recommend?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

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

= no reason to fight the taxi or gangs over this.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

No uber taxi service in the Kansai area. In fact, in Japan, there's only Tokyo.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

And I believe that Uber in Tokyo is just regular taxis, not regular people taxing others around.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

''Illegal''? It's called good business. It goes on in many countries. Osaka of all places in Japan should be accustomed to such ''inappropriate'' practices.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

“For a short while, the so-called ‘one coin’ taxis (so said because their meters start from 500 yen, as opposed to 730 yen for regular cabs) became controversial,”

What? I've lived in Osaka for 16 years, and I have never seen a taxi whose meter started at 730 yen...

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Yakuza cabs are not new in the Kansai area and this problem has been around for decades. Not just in the Osaka area and around Itami. In Kyoto it's pretty bad too.

We've ALWAYS used MK Taxi for local runs as well as runs out to Itami and KIX. MK drivers are polite and very helpful albeit sometimes we do get the new 'very green' driver that needs a little help with directions or extra eyes when getting out of a tight neighbourhood road. Still, I'd always take MK Taxi because they are honest!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Civilians can't even stop too long at the airport without policeman giving out a ticket, let alone run inside terminal leaving car at curb.

So how can illegal cabs get away with this, without tacit permission of police and politicians?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Reporting is restricted like this because libel laws in Japan are very lopsided in favour of the party being "defamed". I agree we are likely to see a rash of unfortunate accidents or suicides in Kansai quite soon.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Either it is not literally 'illegal' but simply a by-law violation... or the police are in on it, or afraid to proceed. Of course, if it is a by-law violation then the board of Itami are in on it.

None of this is surprising.

Someone, just take a taxi and tell us the name of the company!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Taxi rates in any city should be considered a crime!!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So, NOBODY knows the actual name of Company X?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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