OSAKA –
A 37-year-old Chinese lady has been arrested and referred to prosecutors on suspicion of working an unlicensed taxi service that transported vacationers from Kansai International Airport to a lodge in Kyoto.
Xie Yutong is suspected of conspiring with an unidentified particular person to hold an unspecified variety of vacationers in her personal automobile for cost, a observe generally identified 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., quite a few autos have been lined up in lanes reserved for personal vehicles, making it troublesome to differentiate suspected unlawful taxis from odd autos selecting up passengers.
At 1:45 p.m., investigators stopped a automobile pushed by Xie shortly after it started shifting with two Chinese vacationers inside.
The passengers confirmed investigators a smartphone displaying the names of locations throughout Japan, together with an entry promoting transfers from Kansai International Airport.
The listed fare was 910 yuan, equal to about 20,000 yen.
An investigator requested whether or not cost was to be made when the passengers entered the automobile or after the journey. An interpreter replied that they’d deliberate to pay after arriving at their vacation spot.
When requested whether or not the price lined solely transportation and didn’t embrace non-obligatory companies similar to a tour information, the interpreter confirmed that it was solely for the journey.
Xie has admitted the allegation and advised investigators that she had offered related journeys dozens of occasions since across the autumn of final yr, in accordance with police.
Unlicensed taxi companies have change into a persistent drawback round Kansai International Airport over the previous decade. Authorities warn that such operations might lack ample automobile upkeep and correct monitoring of drivers’ well being, creating potential security dangers for passengers and different highway customers.
The strategies utilized by unlawful operators have additionally change into extra subtle. In one case detected final yr, a automobile licensed solely to supply nursing-care taxi companies was used illegally to hold vacationers.
Police and different authorities are strengthening countermeasures, together with straight warning overseas guests in regards to the dangers of utilizing unauthorized transportation companies.
Source: KTV NEWS