No, you don't. I'm Japanese but I've never tipped. I tell you about the taxi.
All taxies have a meter on the front window of the car. When you get off the taxi, you just pay the charge indicated on the meter. If it shows 900 yen and you hand a 1000-yen bill to the driver, he hands back you a 100-yen coin, and he says "Thank you very much."
In such a case, my wife hands a 1000-yen bill to the driver and she says,"You could keep the change."Why does she say so? I don't know why. The driver will never refuse to receive the 100 yen, and he says to her, “Thank you very much."
I never do that. Even when the meter shows 990-yen, I hand 1000- yen bill to the driver saying,"Here you are.'The driver receives 1000-yen bill, and gave me a 10 yen coin and says"Thank you very much."I get off the car just saying,"Thank you very much." The driver never complains about that. Although, after the car left, my wife says to me,"You are stingy."
It's a little difficult for me to explain clearly about tipping in the restaurant, hotel, taxi etc. Anyway, you need not to tip in Japan.
(by a member of Fukuoka SGG Club / Dec.14,2012)
