There's a new addition to Japan's landscape. Last week saw the installation of the country's first banana vending machine. You can find it in the basement of Shibuya Station where the Hanzomon Tokyo Metro line runs. It's operated by US food giant Dole who say they mainly want to target students and people living on their own who might not usually buy much fruit. Research by the Agriculture Ministry has suggested that young Japanese are not eating as much fruit as previous generations and now rank low on global fruit consumption tables. Consequently, officials are encouraging companies to think of new ways to make fruit more readily available.
The machine is refrigerated and employs a conveyor system to deliver the fruit without bruising. There are also bins next to the machine so you have somewhere to dump the skin if you decide to scoff one down straight away. The machine currently offers single bananas for 130 yen and small bunches for 390 yen. A PR spokesman for Dole envisages people in Shibuya buying one on their way to see a film or a gig and hopes that they will turn to fresh fruit rather than supplements or juice & yoghurt. Another banana vending machine has already been installed in a sports club in Wakabadai and the plan is to find more sites in the Kanto region including schools and office buildings.
