Culture
How 7-Elevens Are Becoming Lifelines for Japan's Elderly
Convenience stores and the country’s housing agency are teaming up to serve the aging population.
Though you’ll find some of the same offerings in a Tokyo 7-Eleven as in an American branch—coffee, doughnuts, fried chicken—Japanese convenience stores are a different animal than their U.S. counterparts.
Aside from selling Japan-specific food like bento boxes and onigiri (rice balls), convenience stores in Japan offer services that make them hubs of their communities. Customers can pay a utility bill, buy concert tickets, or make copies at a 7-Eleven or a similar retailer like Lawson or FamilyMart. In the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, convenience stores even set up emergency support centers and sent employees to aid survivors, among other good deeds.