Overview

• The Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested the 49-year-old current and 32-year-old former Tokyo office managers on suspicion of violating the Road Transport Act by carrying paying passengers without a license.
• Investigators say the scheme ran from 2019 and generated about ¥100 million by transporting clients alongside cargo in light trucks.
• Police records show that between March and May 2024, 24 trips carried 39 passengers for roughly ¥92,000 in fees.
• The current manager insisted he believed the service was legal, while his predecessor admitted he pursued it to meet client demands and boost branch profits.
• The corporate entity and seven contracted drivers have also been referred to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office on the same unauthorized transport charges.