First Taxi Group

First Taxi Group (ファーストタクシーグループ) is a Japanese taxi and hire-car (hire) transport group based in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture. It describes itself as the largest taxi group in Tochigi Prefecture and is composed of five corporate members: Kanto Kotsu Co., Ltd. (関東交通株式会社), Kanuma Godo Taxi Co., Ltd. (鹿沼合同タクシー株式会社), Shiobara Jidosha Co., Ltd. (塩原自動車株式会社), Nasu Godo Jidosha Co., Ltd. (那須合同自動車株式会社), and First Taxi Service Co., Ltd. (ファーストタクシーサービス株式会社). The group was formally established on 11 November 2013, bringing together companies with roots reaching back to the 1930s and 1940s. The group's brand promise is expressed in its slogan, "Taxi ni mo, first class wo" (タクシーにも、ファーストクラスを。 — "First class, even for taxis"). Its corporate philosophy is "Saikou no omotenashi de shakai ni koushin" (『最高のおもてなしで社会に貢献』 — "Contributing to society through the finest hospitality"). The group positions taxi service as a hospitality business rather than merely a transport business, emphasizing comfort, courtesy, and added value beyond simply moving passengers from point A to point B. Operationally, First Taxi Group serves communities across Tochigi Prefecture through regional call centers: the Utsunomiya/Shimotsuke area (Kanto Kotsu, 24-hour), the Kanuma area (Kanuma Godo Taxi), and the northern prefecture area (Shiobara Jidosha and Nasu Godo Jidosha). Beyond standard taxi dispatch, the group offers sightseeing plans, chartered taxi services, demand-responsive taxi services, welfare taxi services, and corporate/executive transport. It has also introduced distinctive vehicles such as London taxis and a capybara-themed taxi. The group's representative is Kazuo Hosaka (保坂和夫), who serves as president of the member companies. Its group headquarters is located within Kanto Kotsu in Utsunomiya. The group is privately held and is not listed on a stock exchange.

The companies that would eventually form First Taxi Group have origins in the early Showa period. In November 1933, Utsunomiya Godo Taxi (宇都宮合同タクシー) was founded and began operating at 4-2-11 Babadori, Utsunomiya City. In June 1934, Kanto Jidosha's Kuroiso office and Nasu Onsen Jidosha, which had competed on the bus route between Kuroiso and Nasu Onsen, merged to form Nasu Godo Jidosha (那須合同自動車). In November 1940, Shiobara Jidosha (塩原自動車) was established, initiated by Jukichi Kodaira, by acquiring the operating rights and vehicles of small taxi operators, centered on Kanto Jidosha's Nishinasuno office (which operated taxis as a side business) and Hasegawa Jidosha Shokai (which operated taxis in Otawara and Shiobara). The inaugural general meeting of Shiobara Jidosha was held on 8 December 1940, and Jukichi Kodaira became its first president. In 1941, Kanto Kotsu (関東交通) was launched, centered on Kanto Jidosha's Ikegami office (hire division), acquiring surrounding operators, and began operating with 34 hire/taxi vehicles and 4 postal vehicles. Kanto Kotsu was formally founded on 27 March 1942. On 28 December 1945, Kanuma Godo Taxi (鹿沼合同タクシー) was founded. In 1947, Jukichi Kodaira resigned as president of Shiobara Jidosha, and Masaru Hosaka served as acting president until August, when Yasuishiro Kawakami became president. Due to the promulgation of the Antimonopoly Act, capital ties with Kanto Jidosha were dissolved because holding shares in other companies would conflict with the law. In 1957, Utsunomiya Godo Taxi opened its Ekimae office. In 1964, Kanto Kotsu built its headquarters and taxi stand at 4-7 Ikegami-cho, Utsunomiya City. In November 1971, Mitsuatsu Hasegawa became president of Shiobara Jidosha. In 1995, Kazuo Hosaka became a director of Kanuma Godo Taxi and Utsunomiya Godo Taxi. In February 1998, Shiobara Jidosha changed its president and officers, and Kazuo Hosaka became senior managing director. In 2008, Kanto Kotsu relocated its headquarters to its current location, while the old headquarters in Ikegami-cho continued as a taxi stand. On 1 September 2009, Utsunomiya Godo Taxi was absorbed and merged into Kanto Kotsu. In July 2013, the group began a cycle rescue taxi service. On 11 November 2013, First Taxi Group was established. In January 2014, Shiobara Jidosha and Nasu Godo Taxi each introduced one London taxi. In January 2015, Nasu Godo Taxi introduced a capybara-themed taxi. On 30 September 2016, Kanto Kotsu's former headquarters taxi stand at Ikegami-cho was closed and integrated into the Obata taxi stand. On 1 April 2017, Kanuma Godo Jidosha acquired the operating rights and vehicles of the taxi division of Heiwa Taxi (鹿沼市). The group is composed of five companies, with group representative Kazuo Hosaka serving concurrently as president of each. Utsunomiya Godo Taxi's first president was Jukichi Kodaira; its location was originally 4-2-11 Babadori, Utsunomiya City, but in its later years it moved to and shared the current Kanto Kotsu location. As of 1984, it had the Utsunomiya office (headquarters), Ekimae office (Ekimae-dori 3-chome), Tochigi office (Tochigi-cho 867), and Hanabusa office (Hanabusa 1-chome).

• Utsunomiya Godo Taxi founded, begins operating in Utsunomiya City.

• Nasu Godo Jidosha established through merger of Kanto Jidosha's Kuroiso office and Nasu Onsen Jidosha.

• Shiobara Jidosha established, initiated by Jukichi Kodaira.

• Shiobara Jidosha inaugural general meeting; Jukichi Kodaira becomes first president.

• Kanto Kotsu launched, centered on Kanto Jidosha's Ikegami office.

• Kanto Kotsu formally founded.

• Kanuma Godo Taxi founded.

• Capital ties with Kanto Jidosha dissolved due to Antimonopoly Act; Kawakami becomes president of Shiobara Jidosha.

• Utsunomiya Godo Taxi opens Ekimae office.

• Kanto Kotsu builds headquarters and taxi stand at Ikegami-cho, Utsunomiya.

• Mitsuatsu Hasegawa becomes president of Shiobara Jidosha.

• Kazuo Hosaka becomes director of Kanuma Godo Taxi and Utsunomiya Godo Taxi.

• Kazuo Hosaka becomes senior managing director of Shiobara Jidosha.

• Kanto Kotsu relocates headquarters to current location.

• Utsunomiya Godo Taxi absorbed and merged into Kanto Kotsu.

• Cycle rescue taxi service begins.

• First Taxi Group established.

• Shiobara Jidosha and Nasu Godo Taxi each introduce one London taxi.

• Nasu Godo Taxi introduces capybara-themed taxi.

• Kanto Kotsu's former headquarters taxi stand at Ikegami-cho closed and integrated into Obata stand.

• Kanuma Godo Jidosha acquires Heiwa Taxi's taxi division operating rights and vehicles.

Premium hospitality-focused taxi group positioning itself as the largest in Tochigi Prefecture, offering first-class service for everyday, sightseeing, welfare, and corporate transport needs.

• Taxi dispatch services

  Standard taxi services across Tochigi Prefecture via regional call centers.

• Sightseeing taxi plans

  Chartered taxi plans for sightseeing, avoiding parking and navigation concerns.

• Demand-responsive taxi (Demand Taxi)

  Flexible public transport service contributing to local mobility.

• Welfare taxi

  Taxi services tailored for elderly and disabled passengers.

• Corporate and executive transport

  Special transport for corporate clients and VIPs.

• London taxi

  Distinctive London-style taxis introduced in 2014.

• Capybara-themed taxi

  A taxi designed with a capybara motif, introduced in 2015.

1. 1ファーストタクシーグループ 公式サイトfirst-taxi.co.jp
2. 2ファーストタクシーとは | ファーストタクシーグループfirst-taxi.co.jp
3. 3First Taxi Group - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4ファーストタクシーグループ - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org