TOKYO (‘TR) – Following the October 1 enactment of a revised labor law mandating employers to tackle customer harassment, the plight of the capital’s taxi drivers remains severe, with workers reporting relentless verbal abuse, physical assaults, and social media threats inside their vehicles.
Masataka Takahashi (a 38-year-old pseudonym), a veteran driver with 10 years on the road, tells Nikkan Spa! (Oct. 12) that the enclosed space of a taxi leaves drivers vulnerable to egregious behavior, commonly referred to in Japan as “kasuhara” (customer harassment).
“Verbal abuse is an everyday occurrence, especially from heavily intoxicated passengers,” Takahashi said. But he notes that a newer, more troubling trend involves threats of internet exposure.
Exploded in anger
Takahashi recounted a harrowing incident in early October when he picked up a young woman in a Tokyo nightlife district. The trouble started almost immediately when Takahashi safely stopped at a yellow light. The woman exploded in anger, yelling, “Run the yellow! I don’t have free time like you!”
She then pulled out her smartphone and began livestreaming, turning the camera on Takahashi and broadcasting to her viewers that she was dealing with a “terrible driver.” When Takahashi pulled over to the shoulder to contact his dispatch office, the woman falsely claimed he had brake-checked her, demanded financial compensation, and bizarrely called the police herself.
Officers arrived and promptly detained the highly intoxicated woman.
“She didn’t stop livestreaming even as she was being taken to the patrol car, hurling abuse at the cops,” Takahashi recalled. “I have no idea how many people were watching her stream, but my face was exposed online. It was the worst feeling.”
Physical assault
However, harassment is not limited to nighttime revelers. Takahashi recently faced physical assault and fare evasion from a daytime corporate worker.
After picking up a businessman in an office district, the passenger became violently enraged over the route, despite Takahashi faithfully following the vehicle’s GPS.
The man shifted his position to sit directly behind the driver’s seat. He then began rhythmically driving his knees into the back of Takahashi’s seat every time the vehicle swayed, striking hard enough to cause pain. The man ignored repeated requests to stop.
Upon arriving at the destination, Takahashi informed the passenger that he was contacting the dispatch office and the police regarding the assault. Panicking, the businessman fled the vehicle without paying.
“So appalled”
Armed with dashcam footage, Takahashi filed a police report for both assault and fare evasion.
The following day, the runaway suspect appeared at the taxi office, escorted by his boss. Crying, the businessman apologized to Takahashi, offering a childlike excuse: a business negotiation had fallen through that day, and he was taking out his frustration on the driver.
“With police intervention, he could easily lose his job. I was so appalled I didn’t even have words for him,” Takahashi said.
Takahashi’s experiences reflect a broader crisis within the industry, where drivers are treated as emotional punching bags.
“I don’t expect passengers to be overly nice, but we drivers are human beings with emotions. We just want people to observe basic manners,” he said.
With drive recorders now standard in nearly all taxis, every threat, assault, and unpaid fare is captured as hard evidence—meaning unruly passengers risk throwing their entire lives away over a momentary temper tantrum in the back seat.