Japan has begun the slow rollout of ride-hailing services provided by private drivers through apps such as Uber and Go, almost a decade after other countries introduced the services amid fierce opposition from the taxi industry.
Since Monday, users have technically been able to hail private vehicles through these apps, but only in specific areas and at certain times. Unlike in other countries where prices can be considerably lower, prices remain similar to those of traditional taxis.
For users, the ride-hailing experience is not too different from booking a taxi using an app, as for now cars can only be called through existing taxi-hailing apps such as Uber, Go, Didi and S.Ride.