Next Generation Convenience Stores

[Mulboyne]

Asahi: An inconvenience store truth? Governments, merchants wrangle over restricted hours to reduce CO2

Amid the heated competition among local governments to prove they are environmentally friendly, a common plan has repeatedly surfaced: taking some of the convenience out of convenience stores. At least 10 local governments said they were considering or preparing to discuss restrictions on the late-night operating hours of convenience stores to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, according to a survey of the 47 prefectures and 17 major cities in Japan. However, the convenience store industry, which thrives on 24/7 service, has vehemently opposed. Critics of the local governments' plans say the amount of CO2 reduced under such a policy would be negligible, considering the negative impact on business, employment and the public. Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa, Nagano, Aichi prefectures and the city of Kyoto are already considering restrictions on the late night hours. The prefectural governments of Gunma and Kyoto, and the municipal governments of Yokohama and Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture, plan to discuss such restrictions. If the policies are imposed, other 24-hour businesses, such as supermarkets, restaurant chains, gas stations and rental video stores, could eventually be affected.

Local governments are competing against each other to present original environmental policies as interest in global warming countermeasures grows ahead of the Group of Eight summit in Lake Toyako, Hokkaido, next week. The city of Kyoto, which started the debate over restricting 24-hour services, said a review of late night operations at convenience stores and regulations for vending machines were needed in its plans to create an "environmental model community." In July, the municipality will set up a panel, including operators of convenience stores, to further discuss the issue. The city plans to ask store operators to voluntary curb operations during late night hours as early as next fiscal year. Saitama Prefecture's draft environmental plan, submitted to an experts' committee in June, included a clause calling on convenience stores to refrain from 24-hour operations. Kanagawa Governor Shigefumi Matsuzawa told a recent news conference that restricting late night operations at convenience stores "can (also) contribute to preventing juvenile delinquency." Advocates say such regulations would not only reduce greenhouse gases but could change people's carbon-emitting lifestyles.

But not all local governments share that opinion. "For rural communities, the convenience store often serves a public role," Yamanashi Governor Shomei Yokouchi told a recent news conference. He added that the prefecture has no plans to restrict convenience store operations. Currently, 12 convenience store chains belonging to the Japan Franchise Association operate about 42,000 outlets across the nation, of which about 40,000 are open 24 hours a day. The combined amount of CO2 released from those stores in fiscal 2006 was an estimated 2.67 million tons, or about 0.2 percent of Japan's total emissions. "It is unfair to restrict only convenience stores," an association official said. The official said that even if all convenience stores were to reduce operations to 16 hours a day, the amount of CO2 reduction would "only amount to about 0.009 percent" of the country's total emissions. The association also points out that reduced hours of operation would seriously affect the livelihoods of the 1.3 million people who work at the stores or in distribution networks and boxed lunch production lines. "The first step should be to ask people who make a living working in convenience stores," said Takeshi Niinami, president of Lawson Inc. Similar plans for such restrictions have not surfaced in the United States and Europe. In Germany, the government in 2006 even eased restrictions on merchants operating on Sundays, holidays and during late night hours.

And how would the restrictions affect consumers? According to a Cabinet Office survey, about 27 percent of the respondents said they visited conveniences stores during the late night and early morning hours at least once or twice a month.

[Mock Cockpit]

So what are you supposed to do when you run out of booze at 3 in the morning? Stop drinking? Like fuck. The 24 hour availability of alcohol is one of the things that helps make the place livable.

[Mulboyne]

Mainichi: Kyoto convenience stores shoot down limited opening hour plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

The convenience store industry will rebuff any attempt to curtail opening hours as part of a municipal government plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions, officials from the Japan Franchise Association announced. "A request that we should refrain from doing business late at night would restrain our freedom of business, and could even lead to forcing certain lifestyles on people," JFA head Kiyoshi Hijikata said. The Kyoto Municipal Government mooted the idea of asking convenience stores to refrain from opening late at night as part of its greenhouse gas reduction plan.

[Taro Toporific]

FamilyUNYGroupSunkusCircleKMart?
So many names---Does anybody have any name ideas?

FamilyMart, UNY Group in merger talks
The Yomiuri Shimbun / March 06, 2015
Convenience store chain FamilyMart Co. and ... UNY Group's Circle K Sunkus Co. chain...to be operated in Japan under the envisaged merger will likely rival that of industry giant Seven-Eleven Japan Company...blah, blah, blah...

family-circle-cussing.jpg

family-circus-convience-store.jpg

[omae mona]

Think it's pretty hard to beat FamilyCirKus, Taro.

The only other one I can think of is SunkMUNY.

[J.A.F.O]

As long as they don't mess with my chicken sammich, I couldn't care less.

[kurogane]

Are those any good? Family Mart used to Have actual panini machines (Kanazawa late 90s) and choices that didn't include that revolting mayonnaise sauce. Gawwwddddddddddd, I was missing those this last trip. The nice thing about Okinawan konbeens is they all have tons of grilled and fried stuff. Which is why so many of them look like Konishiki's little sister or brother; a new market for JAFO???????

Anyways, Family CirKus is my vote too.

[J.A.F.O]

a new market for JAFO???????

I have the child slave labor for it.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Are those any good? Family Mart used to Have actual panini machines (Kanazawa late 90s) and choices that didn't include that revolting mayonnaise sauce. Gawwwddddddddddd, I was missing those this last trip. The nice thing about Okinawan konbeens is they all have tons of grilled and fried stuff. Which is why so many of them look like Konishiki's little sister or brother; a new market for JAFO???????

Anyways, Family CirKus is my vote too.

I remember those panini sandwiches but yeah they haven't been around since about 2000. I've noticed that when I like something at a convenience store it usually doesn't last whereas stuff I wouldn't ever touch has been consistently available since since I first arrived over a decade and a half ago. I guess my gaijin tongue will never understand Japanese taste.

By the way, I came across a street vendor in Hanoi on my last trip to Vietnam selling beef and tomato banh mi panini. Holy fuck that was good.

[kurogane]

Those paninis was yum yums. Those Vietnamese ones sound good too. I know what you mean about the stuff you like disappearing: I found a new delight (for a ready to eat foodlike product) at the Okinawan COCO chain last year: actual chicken breast meat done up in panko. Quite yummy, and 30-40 yen cheaper than those greasy breaded thigh meat pieces they can't keep on the shelves. Gone within 2 months. Apparently I and the other 6 foreigner regulars were the only ones that bought them, and they were chucking them out as fast as they made them.

I think the problem is taste, but it's also speed: the paninis often took 3 whole minutes. For a good laugh, go to a Konbeni late at night when the street touts and hostess girls get out from work; if it isn't ready already or nukable they go into knipshits. I get they're hungry, but that stuff they eat isn't even close to being edible. No wonder they look like zombie refugees from planet anorexia. I am kind of liking this fake tit craze, but they're gross.

[matsuki]

I guess my gaijin tongue will never understand Japanese taste.

You mean "lack of" taste? Errrrytime I have Japanese with me in the U.S., there are a few that start requesting I take them some place where I they can get "usuaji" food. I wish I could say it was just jiji/baba but plenty of youngin's wanted the same. (and understand I'm not taking them to super salty/heavy/etc. shit food either)

Then again, I'm obviously just not sophisticated enough to appreciate conbini delicacies like cornmayoketchuppan, yakisobasando, etc.

By the way, I came across a street vendor in Hanoi on my last trip to Vietnam selling beef and tomato banh mi panini. Holy fuck that was good.

[J.A.F.O]

Used to be this dive not far Hollywood Blvd. called Miyakos. Pretty decent japanese food even for a guy who doesn't care for j-food. Been over a decade since I was there though.