TOKYO - Taxi fares in Tokyo's 23 wards, as well as Mitaka and Musashino, rose by about 10% on Monday, marking the first increase in the central Tokyo area in roughly three and a half years.
Taxi companies across the affected areas carried out work in the morning to replace fare charts reflecting the revised rates.
The initial fare remains unchanged at 500 yen. However, the distance covered by that fare has been reduced by about 10%, from 1.096 kilometers to 1 kilometer. In addition, the meter now rises by 100 yen for every 232 meters traveled, compared with the previous 255 meters.
A taxi driver said operating costs, including fuel and parts, have also increased, adding that operators must work hard to prevent customers from turning away because of the higher fares.
The government, which approved the fare increase, has instructed operators to allocate 70% of the additional revenue to higher wages for drivers in an effort to address the severe labor shortage. The added income will also be used to offset soaring fuel costs.
Last month, taxi fares were also raised in Tokyo's Tama area as well as in Saitama and Chiba prefectures, indicating that fare hikes are spreading nationwide.
Source: TBS
