Illegally operated taxis in Gifu Prefecture's major tourists destinations, such as the city of Takayama and the village of Shirakawa, are causing a headache for authorities.
Such unlicensed taxis are known as shirotaku or "white taxis" because of their white license plates, which are issued for privately owned vehicles. Commercial vehicles like cabs normally have green license plates.
Offering paid transportation services for passengers or cargo using private or rental vehicles without permission from the transport bureau violates the road transportation law. Violators could be jailed for up to three years or ordered to pay fines of up to ¥3 million.