Waymo-backed robotaxis quietly ply the streets of Tokyo as tests continue

Without much fanfare, robotaxis have been plying the streets of Tokyo.

You can’t hail one or order one on an app, and when exactly that will be possible remains a mystery. Nihon Kotsu, the old-school Japanese taxi company running the tests with Mountain View, California’s Waymo, isn’t saying, and analysts are left guessing.

What is clear is that 2026 will be a key year if Japan wants to play catch up, said Mai Niizoe, a senior researcher at Sompo Institute Plus, a Tokyo-based think tank.