Japan reform minister seeks wider access to self-driving and ride-hailing services

Japan’s regulatory reform minister, Hiroshi Nakatsuka, wants to expand access to self-driving technology and ride-hailing services, saying in an interview that easing restrictions and gathering data could help speed the deployment of autonomous driving.

Nakatsuka identified adequate transportation provision as the main challenge and said the government plans to create a panel to discuss the issue. Addressing ride-hailing, which allows ordinary drivers to carry paying passengers in their own vehicles, he noted that changes to established systems tend to encounter resistance.

Nakatsuka also outlined priorities in his role as minister responsible for policies concerning children. He said he is committed to improving arrangements for confidential childbirth, under which women reveal their identities only to medical institutions.

He identified inadequate support for mothers after delivery and protecting children’s ability to learn their origins as hurdles. The ruling parties are examining systems abroad as they discuss the issue, he said. The government will consider whether a legal framework is needed while continuing efforts to support pregnant and nursing women facing difficulties.

Appointed during September’s Cabinet reshuffle, Nakatsuka became the Japan Innovation Party’s first Cabinet minister. He said cooperation with its coalition partner, the Liberal Democratic Party, had moved into a new phase a year after their agreement, extending into the Cabinet. He expressed a desire to share responsibility for implementing policies with the LDP.