Cab Drivers In Japan Are Having A Big Problem With Ghostly Passengers

At least seven taxi drivers in Ishinomaki, north-east Japan, have reported experiencing a 'phantom fare' in the wake of the devastating 2011 tsunami and earthquake.

In each instance, the story is similar.

Stuffed Hell

A taxi driver in north-east Japan picks up a passenger in an area devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

He starts the meter and asks for the destination, to which the customer gives a strange response.

Either then, or sometime later, the driver turns around to address the man or woman - but the passenger has vanished.

This is because, it is claimed, it was a 'ghost passenger' who was, in fact, killed in the disaster five years ago.

The Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami occurred in March of 2011, killing nearly 16,000 nationwide, injuring over 6,000, and leaving 2,572 missing.

Wikipedia

Sociology student Yuka Kudo spoke to 100 different cabbies. Seven of them said that they'd encountered ghost passengers who requested destinations, but weren't there when the meter stopped.

Image Credit Mirror

Most of the ghosts are said to be young men and women. Kudo theorizes that the young people who died are frustrated that they did not find love in life. For some reason, they're taking it out on cab drivers.

Yet the taxis drivers don't seem frightened by the ghost passengers. In fact, they gladly take their ghostly patrons wherever they need to go.