OSAKA - A 37-year-old Chinese woman has been arrested and referred to prosecutors on suspicion of operating an unlicensed taxi service that transported travelers from Kansai International Airport to a hotel in Kyoto.
Xie Yutong is suspected of conspiring with an unidentified person to carry an unspecified number of travelers in her private vehicle for payment, a practice commonly known in Japan as a "white taxi" service.
A news crew documented the police operation at Kansai International Airport on July 7.
At 8 a.m., numerous vehicles were lined up in lanes reserved for private cars, making it difficult to distinguish suspected illegal taxis from ordinary vehicles picking up passengers.
At 1:45 p.m., investigators stopped a vehicle driven by Xie shortly after it began moving with two Chinese tourists inside.
The passengers showed investigators a smartphone displaying the names of destinations across Japan, along with an entry advertising transfers from Kansai International Airport.
The listed fare was 910 yuan, equivalent to about 20,000 yen.
An investigator asked whether payment was to be made when the passengers entered the vehicle or after the journey. An interpreter replied that they had planned to pay after arriving at their destination.
When asked whether the fee covered only transportation and did not include optional services such as a tour guide, the interpreter confirmed that it was solely for the ride.
Xie has admitted the allegation and told investigators that she had provided similar trips dozens of times since around the autumn of last year, according to police.
Unlicensed taxi services have become a persistent problem around Kansai International Airport over the past decade. Authorities warn that such operations may lack adequate vehicle maintenance and proper monitoring of drivers' health, creating potential safety risks for passengers and other road users.
The methods used by illegal operators have also become more sophisticated. In one case detected last year, a vehicle licensed only to provide nursing-care taxi services was used illegally to carry tourists.
Police and other authorities are strengthening countermeasures, including directly warning foreign visitors about the risks of using unauthorized transportation services.
Source: KTV NEWS
