Nissan GT-R crash injures tourists near Shibuya

Tokyo police arrested a 38-year-old company employee from Kawasaki on July 7 after a Nissan GT-R crash in Shibuya injured three German tourists and a taxi driver, according to reports published on July 8. Police said the man allegedly approached the tourists near Shibuya Scramble Crossing and offered them a paid ride in his privately owned sports car. The crash happened at about 12:30 a.m. on May 17 during what investigators described as an unlicensed taxi trip. The case has drawn attention because it combined a high-profile tourist area, a late-night street solicitation and a practice known in Japan as “white taxi” service. ### How did the crash happen? Tokyo police said the suspect offered three German women in their 20s a “driving tour” near the crossing for 5,000 yen for the group. The women got into the Nissan GT-R, and the car later crashed in the Shibuya area, injuring all three passengers as well as a taxi driver, according to SoraNews24 and Asahi. (asahi.com) Asahi reported the ride turned into a high-speed midnight tour that ended in a wreck after the car was traveling at about 120 kph. Police arrested the driver on suspicion of operating an unlicensed taxi service and causing injury through negligent driving, the reports said. ### Why are police treating this as more than a traffic accident? The July 7 arrest centered on two suspected offenses: unlicensed taxi operation and negligent driving causing injury. (soranews24.com) SoraNews24 said police believe the driver solicited the tourists on the street, then accepted payment for transportation in a privately owned vehicle, which would make the ride an illegal taxi service under Japanese rules. (asahi.com) Japan has been dealing with a broader rise in so-called “white taxis,” a term used for unlicensed paid rides in private cars. Asahi reported in 2025 that police and the transport ministry had begun joint crackdowns at sightseeing destinations as illegal operators increasingly targeted foreign visitors. ### What is a “white taxi” in Japan? Japanese authorities use “white taxi” to describe an unlicensed taxi service operated with a private vehicle rather than a properly licensed commercial one. (soranews24.com) Unseen Japan, summarizing official warnings issued around tourist sites, said licensed taxis in Japan use green plates, while white plates indicate a private vehicle not authorized for taxi service. (asahi.com) The issue has surfaced before in Tokyo. Asahi reported in 2024 that Tokyo police arrested five Japanese and Chinese nationals over an unlicensed taxi service that catered to foreign tourists traveling to Haneda Airport. ### Why does Shibuya matter in this case? Shibuya Scramble Crossing is one of Tokyo’s busiest tourist zones, with heavy foot traffic late into the night. (unseen-japan.com) That makes the area a natural place for street approaches to foreign visitors, particularly travelers unfamiliar with local taxi rules or ride-hailing restrictions. SoraNews24 said the suspect approached the tourists near the crossing before the ride began. (asahi.com) The location also helps explain why the case received broad pickup in English-language Japan coverage on July 8. Asahi, Japan Today and SoraNews24 all identified the crash as a Shibuya incident involving foreign tourists and an alleged illegal sightseeing ride. ### What happens next? Tokyo police are handling the criminal case tied to the May 17 crash and the July 7 arrest. (soranews24.com) The next formal steps are likely to be prosecutorial decisions on the unlicensed taxi and negligent-driving allegations, while police and transport authorities continue separate enforcement against “white taxi” operators at tourist hotspots. (asahi.com)