Wanted: 80-Year-Old Taxi Drivers to Ease Japan’s Labor Crunch
Japan is suffering from a shortfall of workers. That might actually be a boost for its economy.
A cabdriver takes a nap at night in Tokyo's Ginza area (2022).
Photographer: Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images
Would you trust an 80-year-old driver with your life on some of the developed world’s most complex streets?
If you’re one of the millions visiting Tokyo, you might have to, if a plan to raise the age limit for taxi drivers by five years from the current 75 proceeds. But if the idea of a cabdriver in their ninth decade gives you pause, you’re not alone: The discussion has met with criticism even in the typically elder-friendly local media, coming after years of programs encouraging older motorists to return their licenses amid an increase in accidents.