Noto Town share-taxis are again carrying passengers between their homes and the central Ushitsu district, where the town office and public hospital are located.
Four round-trip services run every weekday. Registered passengers should reserve at least one day in advance. The cost is 700 yen per ride.
Reservations can be made at 0768-62-1316 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on weekdays. Taxis are also available from evacuation shelters.
Kamiya Michiyo, 79, who lives alone in Noto, traveled by share-cab to the hospital. She said, "I ran out of medicine, so I booked one of the taxis as soon as I heard they were resuming today. It was a big help."
Tsunaya Eijiro of the town's planning and finance division said, "Many people have been saying they couldn't get to the hospital or go shopping. We wanted to restore services as soon as possible, so it's a big relief. We hope this will help our recovery."