The base fare for short taxi rides in Tokyo will get cheaper starting on Jan. 30 in a bid to lure the business of foreign tourists and the elderly.
The new rate, applied to cabs in Tokyo's 23 wards and the suburban cities of Musashino and Mitaka, sets the initial fare of ¥380 to ¥410 for the first 1.052 km, against the current ¥700 to ¥730 for 2 km, the transportation ministry announced Tuesday.
The new rate also charges as much as an additional ¥80 per 237 meters of travel, against the current ¥90 per 280 meters, the ministry said.