Uber Japan Now Allows Discounts to be Applied to Cash Payments on Uber Taxi

Uber Japan, Inc. (hereafter, Uber Japan) has introduced a new feature for Uber Taxi that allows discounts from campaigns and other promotions to be applied even with cash payments. The service will first launch in the Hiroshima area (*1) starting Monday, May 18, 2026, and will subsequently be rolled out sequentially to regions with high cash usage, eventually expanding nationwide. Previously, Uber's discount measures were primarily aimed at customers using credit cards or digital payments. With this initiative, even cash-paying customers can have a car dispatched with a promotion code applied in the app and pay the discounted amount to the driver upon arrival, allowing them to use Uber more affordably. For drivers, this is expected to expand their earning opportunities by enabling them to cater to customers who wish to pay in cash. In recent years, although the cashless payment ratio in Japan has been increasing, more than half of all payments are still made in cash, indicating a persistent high demand for cash usage (*2 according to a survey by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry). In Uber's ride-hailing services, some regional areas see approximately 40% of rides paid for in cash, highlighting the high rate of cash usage in rural areas. Furthermore, cash payment has been a catalyst for first-time service use. Among cash-paying users who started using Uber Eats, about half utilized a first-time user campaign, suggesting that "being able to pay with cash while using a discount" serves as an incentive to try new services. Based on this background, Uber Japan is introducing this initiative to provide a more user-friendly service experience for customers who prefer cash payments. Particularly in regional areas, by creating an environment where people who need taxis for daily transportation can use ride-hailing services affordably even with cash, Uber Japan aims to encourage a wider range of customers to utilize the Uber app for dispatch. In conjunction with the new feature's launch, a promotion for first-time users will be held in the Hiroshima area. By entering the promotion code [HIROSHIMA26JP], users can get up to ¥3,000 off their Uber Taxi ride. Uber Japan is advancing service improvements that cater to the lifestyles and usage habits of each region in Japan while leveraging its global technology platform. This response to cash payments is part of an effort that takes into account Japan's unique payment culture and regional needs. Moving forward, under the vision of "Go Anywhere," Uber Japan will continue to provide more convenient and easy-to-use transportation services while responding to the diverse lifestyles and needs of each region. *1 Some promotions are not available for cash payments. *2 "Cashless Payment Ratio in 2025," Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Eligibility: Rides originating in the Hiroshima area. Offer: Up to ¥3,000 off the ride fare. Conditions: Enter the promotion code [HIROSHIMA26JP] in the app and complete an Uber Taxi dispatch. Period: Until Saturday, June 20, 2026. About Uber Japan, Inc.: Uber Japan, Inc. operates the ride-hailing platform "Uber" in Japan, connecting drivers and riders on demand. It partners with approximately 1,000 taxi companies nationwide, offering "Uber Taxi" dispatch in all 47 prefectures, and "Uber Premium," which dispatches premium hire cars and wagons for up to 5 people in 9 prefectures including Sapporo, Tokyo's 23 wards, Osaka, and Kyoto. It also supports private-car paid passenger transport (public ride-sharing) in partnership with municipalities in Kyotango City (Kyoto), Kaga City (Ishikawa), Nozawaonsen Village (Nagano), and Beppu City (Oita), and since April 2024, has been supporting private-car utilization projects (the Japanese version of ride-sharing) in partnership with taxi companies.