But you can't just compare Japanese taxi drivers to say NYC taxi drivers. Not without justifying the comparison. Now I have never taken a taxi in either city,

But you can't just compare Japanese taxi drivers to say NYC taxi drivers. Not without justifying the comparison. Now I have never taken a taxi in either city, so I can't even compare the experience myself, but, what does it take to be a taxi driver in NYC vs Japan? What do the companies that hire said taxi drivers pay in comparison to purchasing power? What is the difference in the city layouts that the drivers are working in, not just the physical roads, but congestion, road work, etc? Let's also consider that Japan has for all intents and purposes, no immigration, while the US has massive amounts of immigration. This lack of immigration, combined with normal customs surrounding Japanese culture, eg: work ethic, honor, etc, all contribute to the experience.