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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Crime & Justice

Chinese Engineer Arrested in Tokyo for Operating Unlicensed Taxi; Name 'Ning Meng' Sparks Online Frenzy

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A 42-year-old Chinese systems engineer named Ning Meng was arrested in Tokyo for operating an unlicensed taxi service.
  • He was apprehended by police near Tokyo Station while attempting to pick up three American tourists.
  • The incident sparked online discussion in Taiwan and Japan regarding his name and motivations for engaging in such work.

A 42-year-old Chinese systems engineer, identified by the name Ning Meng, has been arrested in Tokyo for illegally operating a ride-hailing service. The incident occurred on the afternoon of the 10th, when Ning was apprehended by police near Tokyo Station for soliciting passengers without a taxi license.

He wasn't accepting money, and he wasn't operating an unlicensed taxi.

— Ning MengNing Meng, the arrested Chinese engineer, denied the charges against him, claiming he was not being paid and was not operating an illegal taxi service.

Ning was reportedly found driving his own vehicle on Yaesu North Exit road, attempting to pick up three American tourists. He had negotiated a fare with them and was preparing to drive them to a hotel in Shinagawa Ward when police arrested him on the spot for operating an unlicensed taxi, known locally as a "white-label car." Ning denied the charges, claiming he was not accepting money and was not operating as an unlicensed taxi.

He wasn't accepting money, and he wasn't operating an unlicensed taxi.

— Ning MengNing Meng, the arrested Chinese engineer, denied the charges against him, claiming he was not being paid and was not operating an illegal taxi service.

Adding to the intrigue, Ning holds a "highly skilled professional" visa, a category designed to attract specialized talent to Japan with more flexible conditions than standard work visas. Authorities are reportedly investigating why he would engage in unlicensed taxi operations despite his professional status.

He wasn't accepting money, and he wasn't operating an unlicensed taxi.

— Ning MengNing Meng, the arrested Chinese engineer, denied the charges against him, claiming he was not being paid and was not operating an illegal taxi service.

The revelation of his Chinese name, Ning Meng, has generated significant attention online, particularly on platforms like X and Facebook. The name itself, which can evoke meanings related to "sweet," "cute," and "lemon," has led to playful and sometimes critical commentary from Taiwanese netizens. Some questioned the name, assuming it belonged to a woman, while others made more pointed remarks referencing his nationality. Japanese netizens also expressed surprise, with one noting that Chinese IT professionals in Japan can earn substantial salaries, questioning Ning's apparent need to drive an unlicensed taxi. Some Japanese online commenters speculated that Ning might not be a genuine engineer and could have fabricated his qualifications solely to obtain the visa.

He wasn't accepting money, and he wasn't operating an unlicensed taxi.

— Ning MengNing Meng, the arrested Chinese engineer, denied the charges against him, claiming he was not being paid and was not operating an illegal taxi service.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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