“I didn’t use a harsh tone at all… maybe the driver was just in a bad mood?” said former AKB48 member Tomomi Itano, after revealing she was abruptly told to exit a taxi in the middle of the road while on her way to pick up her child.
The incident, shared on Itano’s YouTube channel 友chube, was part of a video posted on October 23, where she read and reacted to viewers’ stories—alongside sharing her own recent frustration.
Itano, now a mother and entrepreneur, explained that she and her staff were en route to pick up her daughter from kindergarten when she asked the taxi driver to “go a little faster” and to “take a specific route.”
However, the driver reportedly took the wrong road. While discussing time constraints with her staff, she suspects the driver may have overheard and felt pressured—ultimately stopping the car and asking them to get out right in the middle of the street.
“We weren’t angry or aggressive,” she emphasized. “Maybe he was just hungry?” she added half-jokingly.
Despite her light tone, the story has divided netizens. Some sympathized with Itano:
“If she hadn’t said to hurry, the driver wouldn’t have rushed. It’s understandable.”
“Getting kicked out mid-road? That’s just dangerous.”
However, others were more critical:
“She shouldn’t have pressured the driver.”
“Sounds arrogant. She could drive herself or use public transport like everyone else.”
The mixed reaction highlights a recurring cultural debate in Japan around customer behavior, politeness, and service expectations. While some argued that the driver’s actions were unprofessional and even unsafe, others questioned whether Itano’s tone or urgency crossed a line—especially in a country known for its strict etiquette norms.
As a former idol, every public word or action by Tomomi Itano tends to draw close scrutiny. This latest episode serves as a reminder of how quickly online sentiment can shift—even over a seemingly minor daily inconvenience.
Sources: Netizenbuzz