Taxi Drivers Join the Blue-Collar Billionaire Boom as Incomes Surge Past 1 Million Yen

The mystery of monthly incomes exceeding 1 million yen

The term blue-collar billionaire is gaining attention. It refers to people who earn large sums of money in so-called blue-collar fields such as construction, manufacturing, and logistics. These jobs are often seen as hard work for little pay, but due to labor shortages in recent years, wages in these sectors appear to be rising.

Among them, the industry where billionaires are particularly increasing is the taxi industry. According to a survey conducted by X Mile Inc. (Shinjuku, Tokyo), which operates the logistics, construction, and manufacturing job site “X Work,” 61% of taxi drivers in Tokyo reportedly achieve a monthly income of 1 million yen, indicating growing recognition of taxi driving as a high-earning profession.

The same survey also shows that about 50% of drivers in Tokyo believe they can aim for an annual income of 10 million yen, and about 37% earn an average monthly income of over 500,000 yen, suggesting rising earnings among Tokyo taxi drivers.

The unprecedented bubble created by ride-hailing apps

On the other hand, outside Tokyo, about 60% of drivers earn less than 400,000 yen per month, highlighting a clear wage gap between Tokyo and regional areas.

One major factor is Tokyo’s large population. The increase in inbound tourism has also boosted taxi usage. Another factor was explained by Mr. Homma, a recruiting consultant at X Mile, which conducted the survey.

“The rise in taxi users due to ride-hailing apps like Uber and GO, as well as the increasing number of people without cars, has contributed to greater demand for taxis. As a result, some drivers even commute from outside Tokyo, such as Chiba or Gunma, to work for taxi companies in the city,” he said.

It appears that the recent taxi boom in Tokyo is being driven by inbound tourism, apps, and changing attitudes toward car ownership.

The trap of 1 million yen monthly income revealed by those on the ground

However, when speaking with a man working at a taxi company in Tokyo, he denied the claim: “A monthly income of 1 million yen? I’ve never heard of that in a corporate taxi company.”

Another driver at a different company said, “To earn 1 million yen a month, you would need sales of 2 million yen per month, or 150,000 yen per day, which is basically impossible.”

While there seems to be a gap between survey results and on-the-ground perceptions, the difference comes from the distinction between corporate taxi drivers and individual taxi drivers.

In the case of corporate taxi drivers employed by taxi companies, about 60% of sales become income. In addition, they typically work 11–13 days per month, as working more than 13 days is prohibited by law.

The aforementioned corporate taxi driver described a schedule such as: Monday 9:00–2:30 the next day, Tuesday off, Wednesday 9:00–2:30 the next day, Thursday off, Friday 9:00–2:30 the next day, with a mandatory 3-hour break during shifts. Average daily sales are around 40,000–50,000 yen. Even if working 13 days, total sales would be 650,000 yen, resulting in an income of 390,000 yen. Even if sales were doubled, it would still be 780,000 yen.

On the other hand, for individual taxi drivers, income is calculated by subtracting expenses from sales. Considering that the corporate driver in question had a record monthly sales high of 1.1 million yen, achieving a monthly income of 1 million yen is indeed possible.

Can corporate drivers also reach an annual income of 10 million yen?

Looking again at the survey, the breakdown of respondents shows that out of 177 respondents, 70 people—about 40%—were individual taxi drivers. It is unclear how many of them answered that they achieved 1 million yen per month, but it is likely that responses from individual taxi drivers significantly increased the percentage of 1 million yen monthly income.

Even so, since about 46% nationwide reported achieving 1 million yen, it would mean that about 6% of corporate taxi drivers achieved it.

“Even among corporate taxi drivers, there are many who earn around 800,000 yen in gross monthly pay and about 600,000 yen in take-home pay, which translates to an annual income of around 10 million yen. There is no doubt that it is an industry where an annual income of 10 million yen can be aimed for. Right now, taxi driving can be considered a highly lucrative industry,” says Mr. Homma.

The previously mentioned corporate taxi driver earned an annual income of about 5 million yen in his first year after changing jobs, and another driver also felt that his income increased in his first year after switching careers. The industry is gaining attention as one where earnings increase in proportion to effort. Mr. Homma says:

“Because ride-hailing apps have made it easy for users to call taxis, drivers can now find customers more consistently. It is said that just from app-based dispatches, drivers can earn around 350,000 yen in take-home pay, and recruitment managers at taxi companies also say that these apps have had a major impact on revenue. In recent years, stronger measures against customer harassment have also improved working conditions.”

Young people and women are rushing in

Against this backdrop, the number of people seeking to change careers into taxi driving is increasing.

“Currently, the number of taxi driver job seekers registered on our site is 2.3 times higher compared to 2024 and 2025. In addition, the gender ratio among those seeking to enter the taxi industry shows that women account for about 12%, which is higher than the 6.8% seen in other logistics driver jobs,” says Mr. Homma.

The number of applicants in their 20s is also increasing. Even among taxi drivers, working styles and motivations vary widely.

“One of the appeals is that drivers can freely choose their shifts, whether starting in the morning or afternoon, and whether working day or night shifts. Some mothers in the child-rearing generation work while their children are in daycare.

Even people in their early 20s can earn 400,000 to 500,000 yen in take-home pay, nearly double the income of their peers. Some people use taxi driving to earn startup capital or to fund their dreams.

One 68-year-old woman said she was earning 500,000 yen a month so she could travel overseas with her grandchildren. I think the appeal is that anyone can earn regardless of age or gender,” says Mr. Homma.

In addition, even within corporate taxi companies, conditions differ for hire cars (chauffeur services).

According to one hire car driver, “Because there are no strict driving time regulations for hire cars, you can earn through overtime pay. While it is difficult to reach 1 million yen in take-home pay, 800,000 yen or an annual income of 10 million yen is achievable.”

It can be said that gaining experience in corporate taxis or hire cars and then aiming for 1 million yen monthly income as an individual taxi driver is one step toward becoming a blue-collar billionaire.

The corporate driver mentioned earlier said, “If you work one day, you get the next day off. You have plenty of time and can do what you like, and the more you work, the more you earn, so it’s rewarding. Even without aiming for 1 million yen take-home pay, you can normally earn around 350,000 to 400,000 yen just by working regularly.”

Another driver emphasized the flexibility, saying, “You can decide when to take breaks during your shift, so the freedom is high.”

On the downside, they cited long working hours, no paid leave (income decreases if you take time off), and a high risk of accidents.

Self-driving taxis have already appeared in the United States and China. They are likely to arrive in Japan in the near future as well. However, at present, one of the industries with the highest potential to produce blue-collar billionaires is undoubtedly individual taxi driving, while corporate taxi driving also offers stable income.

In today’s uncertain world, taxi driving is steadily establishing itself as one of the jobs that can earn a solid income.

■ Reference: Crosswork Job White Paper