But as he walks towards the cab a black shape can be seen moving behind him, following him to the vehicle.
As it heads towards the open door it seems to acquire more substance, looking more like a woman in a long robe and a dark hood - yet unmistakably still not human.
It slides along the floor closer to the car as the man clambers in and almost appears to get in after him before the door closes - seemingly sweeping right through the mysterious figure as it shuts.
The taxi drives off as normal and the taxi rank is left deserted.
While many netizens are fascinated with the potentially supernatural apparition others see the funnier side, joking that perhaps the ghost was tired and wanted to sit down or was in love with the man.
But others simply see the spirit as a clever camera trick - the result of careful editing.
However, ghost passenger sightings are not an entirely rare phenomenon in Japan.
Taxi drivers working in one of the areas worst affected by the 2011 earthquake disaster have reported picking up 'ghost customers,' it was revealed in January of this year.
Cab drivers in Ishinomaki, where 6,000 people died when a tsunami hit the town after an earthquake, said they have taken fares from people who have then vanished during the ride.
