Taxis running to and fro on a busy road in Japan. (Image via Reuters)

Amid COVID-19, Tokyo taxi drivers allowed to refuse passengers without mask

On Wednesday, Japan's Transportation Ministry had decided to allow taxi drivers in Tokyo to refuse passengers without face masks for no reason. The decision was made amid the concern of the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Requested by 10 taxi companies in Tokyo, the approval could also affect taxis' norms and etiquette in other parts of Japan.

Previously, Japan's road transportation regulation states that taxi operators could not deny passengers unless on special circumstances, such as they are heavily intoxicated or show violent manners to the drivers.

On Wednesday, the capital of Japan recorded 122 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 31,624 cases and the highest among the 47 prefectures. Fortunately, the average daily number of new cases in Tokyo over the recent week has remained almost flat below 200.

In order to get approval, the taxi operators have to propose the request to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation, and Tourism. They asked the ministry to revise the part of behavioural rules such as intoxicated passengers without masks and speaking loudly would increase the risk of COVID-19 infection for the drivers. However, an official of the transportation ministry reminded that the refusal means that the taxi drivers should ask firsthand the reason to why the passengers are not wearing masks, such as health or unavoidable reasons, as the provision was approved not only to assure drivers' safety but also the passengers.

Since the initial COVID-19 outbreak in Japan, the Japanese taxi companies took precautions such as frequent disinfection and requirement for the drivers to wear a mask & undergo body temperature checks.

Source: https://bit.ly/3p1rMg8