Ride-hailing Didi to join Japan’s Daiichi

Tokyo: Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing is gearing up to partner with Japanese taxi provider Daiichi Koutsu Sangyo and launch an app-based cab service in Tokyo early next year, reports said on Monday. Unlicensed private vehicles in Japan are generally prohibited from engaging in paid transportation, which is Didi’s bread and butter, according to Nikkei Asian Review. As a workaround, Didi is entering the Japanese market via taxicabs rather than private vehicles, the report added. Comprising around 8,700 vehicles, Daiichi Koutsu Sangyo has the largest taxi fleet in Japan. The Chinese ride-hailing company now plans to register about 500 of those in its proprietary application by early next year, with the number to eventually rise to a few thousand. — IANS