KAMAKURA, Kanagawa -- A Chinese national was arrested here on Nov. 12 for allegedly operating an unlicensed taxi business with Chinese tourists as customers.

Kanagawa Prefectural Police's traffic investigation division arrested Zhao Weilong, 34, a self-proclaimed repair salesman and a resident of Tokyo's Adachi Ward, for violating the road transportation law. He has reportedly denied the allegations and told investigators, "I was just driving friends of my friend. I didn't get paid."

Zhao was specifically accused of picking up six Chinese customers on a prefectural road in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, at around 12:05 p.m. and transporting them in his private minivan for approximately 340 meters for a fee without obtaining permission from the government. According to the traffic investigation division, the customers were on their way to Enoshima, a land-tied island near Kamakura, from Tokyo. They apparently paid some 42,000 yen (about $270) in advance by electronic payment.

The scene of the arrest is a sightseeing spot where Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine and other tourist attractions are located. Based on information that unlicensed taxis were rampant in the area, the traffic investigation division, Kamakura Police Station and other authorities were conducting a crackdown. In 2023, there was only one arrest for such drivers in the prefecture, but the number increased to 12 in 2024 due to the growing number of inbound tourists.

(Japanese original by Daiki Yano, Yokohama Bureau)