Softbank, DiDi Start Taxi-Hailing Service in Osaka

September 28, 2018

Osaka- A joint venture between Japan's Softbank Corp. and China's DiDi Chuxing started on Thursday a taxi-hailing service in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan.

The service by DiDi Mobility Japan Corp., available on a free smartphone app, targets visitors to Japan and others.

In the service, available taxis running nearby will head to a boarding point to pick up customers after users input their destinations into the app.

Over 1,000 vehicles from 12 taxi companies operating in areas around Kansai International Airport and in the city of Osaka are available via the service.

The service combines the planning ability of the Japanese telecommunications company with the advanced artificial intelligence of the Chinese ride-hailing giant.

DiDi Mobility Japan aims to expand the service to other prefectures in the country, including Tokyo, Kyoto and Okinawa, by the end of March next year.

"We would like to spread in Japan the business that DiDi Chuxing succeeded with in China," Ken Miyauchi, president and chief executive officer at Softbank, a unit of Softbank Group Corp. <9984>, said at a press conference in Osaka. Jiji Press