Didi Chuxing, SoftBank join forces to launch ride-hailing platform in Japan

Two companies first partnered to launch taxi-hailing services in Japan in February this year

Didi Chuxing and SoftBank have established a joint venture to offer on-demand taxi-hailing services and smart transportation solutions in Japan, the China-based mobility services company said in a press release on 18 July. The JV company, Didi Mobility Japan Corporation, will leverage the Chinese partner’s artificial intelligence and data analytics technologies to deliver a machine learning platform, which can predict demand to improve dispatch operations. The JV will initially pilot test the platform in Osaka before expanding it to other major Japanese cities, including Kyoto, Fukuoka, Okinawa, and Tokyo.