TOKYO: Uber may be shredding business models for taxi firms the world over but it is struggling to make inroads in Japan, where risk-averse passengers prefer to stick to their high-quality traditional taxi service. Japan, with its wealthy customer base and megacities like Tokyo, should represent rich pickings for Uber. Kawanabe also pointed to safety issues as being among the reasons Uber had not enjoyed the same success in Japan as it has elsewhere. Japan cannot accept this.”An Uber spokesman said the company’s priority in Japan was to “partner with taxi companies to get licensed drivers using the app to connect with riders”. “From the point of view of the Japanese taxi companies, you can only call them ‘devils’.”

Source: Manila Times December 17, 2017 16:52 UTC