A day after the Japanese government declared a state of emergency, Royal Limousine, a taxi operator based in Tokyo, announced plans to dismiss approximately 600 of its drivers in response to financial difficulties resulting from COVID-19. The company said that its drivers would be better off receiving the government's unemployment benefits than its leave allowance; it also said that it would rehire workers after the crisis subsided. A labour union representing 10 drivers led negotiations with Royal Limousine, which announced on April 20 that it would not lay off union members. The next day, another employee filed a complaint with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, alleging that the layoffs were illegal.