Discussion Papers 2018

CIRJE-J-296

『日本におけるライドシェア問題のインパクト -Uberを事例として』
"The Impact of Rideshare in Japan"

Author Name

佐口和郎 (Kazuro Saguchi), サンフォード・ジャコビイ (Sanford Jacoby), トーマス・アルトゥーラ (Thomas Altura)

Date

March 2018

Full Paper

PDF file (only Japanese version available)

Remarks  
Abstract (in Japanese) Abstract (in English)

Recently we have seen that the symbol of the Sharing Economy--Uber--has met with resistance in many countries but least of all in the United States. Japan is one of those countries where Uber has been confronted by strong forces of opposition. Yet the situation of Uber in Japan deserves special analysis so as to bring out the essential conditions for ridesharing to enter a nation without difficulty. In this paper, we pay attention especially to the employment status of the average Japanese taxi driver and to the position of taxis in the Japanese transportation system. For these factors, we find clear differences between Japan and the United States. We also find that the possibility of ridesharing in Japan has transformed the working situation of taxi drivers in Japan. We discusss, from various viewpoints, how these factors may lead to a drastic dualization of drivers in Japan’s taxi industry.