Tokyo Go-Kart Tour Caught Allowing Unlicensed Drivers
A go-kart tour company in Tokyo has been caught allowing tourists without valid licenses to drive go-karts on public roads.
Go-kart tours are a popular tourist attraction in Tokyo, especially for fans of the game Mario Kart — although the tours are not run by Nintendo, drivers often wear Mario Kart costumes.
The tours aren't as popular with residents. There have been over 100 complaints made against go-karts on public roads this year, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Many of the complaints were about tourists breaking traffic laws, such as using their phones while driving or getting out of their go-karts to take pictures. But some were about more serious incidents, including property damage and people getting hurt.
In an incident that took place on April 7, a foreign tourist crashed into a parked car. When the police arrived, they found that the tourist driving the go-kart didn't have a valid driving license.
The go-karts are listed as automobiles under Japanese law, so they require a Japanese driver's license, or an international driver's license from one of the 196 countries that are part of the Geneva Conventions.
The tourist, who was arrested by the police, had a driver's license, but not from a country that is part of the Geneva Conventions.
According to The Asahi Shimbun, the manager of the go-kart company said he had not properly trained his staff on license checks.
About 3,300 people have rented go-karts since the company began in the fall of last year. Almost 50 of those people might have driven the go-karts without a valid driver's license, according to the company's rental records.
According to the police, seven go-kart incidents from different tour companies between January and August resulted in people getting hurt, and 18 caused damage to property.
