newmo, Inc.

newmo, Inc. (newmo株式会社, ニューモ) is a Japanese mobility company headquartered in Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo. It was founded on 4 January 2024 by Naoki Aoyagi, who serves as Representative Director and CEO. The company's stated mission is "移動で地域をカラフルに" (roughly, "making regions colorful through mobility"), framed around building sustainable regional transport from the user's point of view as Japan's population declines and local transport services shrink. newmo operates across several connected business lines. Its core is the taxi business — the operation of general passenger automobile transport (taxis and hire cars) through a fast-growing set of group companies. Alongside this it runs a taxi dispatch app, also branded "newmo," which launched in parts of Osaka from December 2024 and is planned for nationwide expansion. It is also involved in Japan's "Nihon-ban Ride Share" (NRS) ride-share framework and in the development and operation of autonomous-driving taxis, including consortium work in Sakai City. A further line is a staffing/recruitment business placing essential workers. Rather than starting from scratch, newmo has grown largely by acquiring and establishing taxi operators. Its main group companies include Miraito (未来都), Sakai Sogo Taxi (堺相互タクシー), newmo Karuizawa Miyota, newmo Tokai, Yuikaji Kotsu (ゆいかじ交通), Muzu Kotsu (夢洲交通), Umikaze Kotsu (うみかぜ交通), Shoyo Kotsu (湘葉交通), Toranomon Kotsu (虎ノ門交通), Yokoyoko Kotsu (横横交通), and the three Asahi Jidosha companies (朝日自動車第一・第二・第三). It also holds a capital stake in Kishin Kotsu (岸交). The company positions itself as a "Reiwa-era" taxi company that inherits the safety, convenience and service quality built by Japan's established taxi operators while applying modern technology — efficient dispatch systems and services matched to demand — to open up the future of regional transport. It also emphasizes creating workplaces where drivers can work in their own style while earning income and supporting local transport infrastructure. newmo's expansion has been rapid. Within roughly two years of founding it had moved into Osaka, Nagano (Karuizawa), Aichi (Nagoya), Okinawa, Kanagawa (Shonan and Yokohama), Tokyo and Hokkaido (Sapporo), through a mix of new subsidiaries, share acquisitions and business transfers. Its app is currently available in parts of Osaka, with nationwide rollout planned.

newmo, Inc. was founded on 4 January 2024 by Naoki Aoyagi, with the aim of entering the ride-share business. From the outset the company framed its purpose around regional transport: its mission, "移動で地域をカラフルに," reflects a goal of realizing sustainable regional mobility from the user's perspective at a time when population decline is eroding transport options, especially in rural areas. Aoyagi has said that his own experience of struggling to get around with family in the countryside motivated him to start the company. The company's growth strategy has been to combine the operational know-how of established Japanese taxi operators with modern technology, expanding through a mix of capital participation, share acquisitions, business transfers and newly established subsidiaries. In March 2024 it took a capital stake in Kishin Kotsu. In July 2024 it acquired all shares of Miraito and made it a wholly owned subsidiary. In September 2024 it established newmo Karuizawa Miyota to operate a taxi business in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture. In October 2024 it established newmo Tokai and newmo Okinawa (later renamed Yuikaji Kotsu) to operate taxi businesses in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture and in Okinawa Prefecture respectively. In 2025 the expansion continued. In April, through Miraito, newmo acquired all issued shares of Sakai Sogo Taxi, making it a wholly owned subsidiary. In August it established the subsidiary Muzu Kotsu. In November it acquired the business rights of Takara Jidosha. On the service side, the newmo taxi dispatch app began operating in parts of Osaka from December 2024, allowing users to request a nearby taxi, coordinate pickup with the driver, and pay by registered credit card, with nationwide expansion planned. 2026 brought further consolidation and geographic reach. On 31 March 2026 newmo acquired all shares of six Keikyu Taxi Group companies, making them wholly owned subsidiaries, and they were renamed Umikaze Kotsu effective 1 April 2026. In May 2026 the company announced the establishment of two new entities, Shoyo Kotsu (in the Shonan area of Kanagawa Prefecture) and Toranomon Kotsu (in Tokyo), both scheduled to begin operations in August of that year. On 19 June 2026 it announced entry into the Sapporo taxi business, establishing the new company newmo Hokkaido with operations planned to start in autumn. On 1 July 2026 it announced the establishment of Yokoyoko Kotsu, opening a Shin-Yokohama sales office in Yokohama with operations planned from autumn. On 31 July 2026 Miraito took over all shares of three Asahi Jidosha Group companies in Osaka (Asahi Jidosha Daiichi, Daini and Daisan) from Oriental Taxi (Royal Limousine Group). On 21 August 2026 it acquired the Otaru sales office business and part of the Sapporo transport area operating rights and 30 vehicles from Sapporo Kotsu (Hokkaido Koun Group). Alongside conventional taxi operations, newmo has pursued ride-share and autonomous-driving initiatives. It operates under Japan's "Nihon-ban Ride Share" (NRS) framework and is developing and operating autonomous-driving taxis. In August 2026 it co-founded the Sakai City Autonomous-Driving Taxi Implementation Consortium together with Miraito, Sakai Sogo Taxi, KDDI, KDDI Smart Mobility and Kansai Electric Power, and it began a demonstration experiment aimed at connecting stations with autonomous-driving taxis. The company also runs a staffing business providing recruitment services for essential workers, and has engaged in social programs such as the "Girls Meet STEM" initiative for female junior and senior high school students. By 2026 newmo had assembled a substantial group spanning Osaka, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Aichi, Hokkaido, Okinawa and Nagano, and reported reaching the No.1 taxi fleet count in Osaka following the Asahi Jidosha acquisitions. Its app remained available in parts of Osaka, with nationwide service planned.

• Founded by Naoki Aoyagi with the aim of entering the ride-share business.

• Took a capital stake in Kishin Kotsu.

• Acquired all shares of Miraito and made it a wholly owned subsidiary.

• Established subsidiary newmo Karuizawa Miyota to operate a taxi business in Karuizawa, Nagano.

• Established subsidiaries newmo Tokai and newmo Okinawa (later Yuikaji Kotsu) for taxi operations in Aichi and Okinawa.

• newmo taxi dispatch app launched in parts of Osaka.

• Through Miraito, acquired all issued shares of Sakai Sogo Taxi, making it a wholly owned subsidiary.

• Established subsidiary Muzu Kotsu.

• Acquired the business rights of Takara Jidosha.

• Acquired all shares of six Keikyu Taxi Group companies, making them wholly owned subsidiaries; renamed Umikaze Kotsu from 1 April 2026.

• Announced establishment of Shoyo Kotsu (Shonan, Kanagawa) and Toranomon Kotsu (Tokyo), both to begin operations in August.

• Announced entry into the Sapporo taxi business, establishing newmo Hokkaido for autumn start.

• Announced establishment of Yokoyoko Kotsu with a Shin-Yokohama sales office, operations planned from autumn.

• Miraito acquired all shares of three Asahi Jidosha Group companies in Osaka from Oriental Taxi.

• Co-founded the Sakai City Autonomous-Driving Taxi Implementation Consortium.

• Acquired Otaru sales office business and part of Sapporo transport area rights and 30 vehicles from Sapporo Kotsu.

A Reiwa-era taxi and mobility company that combines the safety and service quality of established Japanese taxi operators with modern technology to build sustainable regional transport.

• newmo taxi dispatch app

  A smartphone app for hailing nearby taxis, coordinating pickup with the driver, and paying by registered credit card; launched in parts of Osaka from December 2024 with nationwide expansion planned.

• Taxi and hire-car operation

  General passenger automobile transport (taxis and hire cars) operated through newmo Group companies.

• Japan-style ride share (NRS)

  Operation under Japan's Nihon-ban Ride Share framework.

• Autonomous-driving taxi

  Development and operation of autonomous-driving taxis, including consortium and demonstration work.

• Essential-worker staffing

  Recruitment and placement services for essential workers.

1. 1newmo株式会社（ニューモ）｜移動で地域をカラフルにnewmo.me
2. 2会社概要｜newmo（ニューモ）newmo.me
3. 3タクシー配車アプリ｜newmo（ニューモ）newmo.me
4. 4Newmo - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5Newmo - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org