Grannies in running shoes are delivering ramen for Uber in Japan

Khosrowshahi: The elderly are actually signing up for Eats couriers. Eats has been a huge success for us in Japan. It is going to be a very effective introduction to the Uber brand. — Bloomberg

Uber Technologies Inc’s strategy for Japan, where ride-sharing is banned, is as unique as the country itself – think grandma in running shoes delivering ramen noodles.

Chief executive officer Dara Khosrowshahi was in the country this week to stress the importance of the market, where the San Francisco-based company has built a growing food-delivery business but kept rides limited to black-car hires and taxi dispatches.