News On Japan

Lawson opens 1st avatar-staffed convenience store in Tokyo

TOKYO - Lawson Inc. opened Monday its first futuristic convenience store in Tokyo staffed by "avatars" remotely controlled by employees, making it possible for even those with mobility issues to enter the workforce.

The chain's first "Green Lawson," located in Tokyo's Toshima Ward, promotes an environmentally friendly lifestyle by eliminating the sale of plastic bags, and discontinuing the provision of disposable forks and straws to customers starting Jan. 10.

With the exception of paying bills, remotely controlled avatars will generally tend to customers via monitors installed near self-checkout counters and in product aisles.

...continue reading

Source: ANNnewsCH

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Japan could face a more active typhoon season than usual in 2026, with private weather forecaster Weathernews predicting around 28 typhoons to form during the year—above the long-term average of 25.1—and warning that approximately 14 could approach Japan, increasing the risk of weather-related disruptions across the country.

A bear that injured four people in Fukushima City escaped despite efforts to capture it using tranquilizer darts and box traps, prompting authorities to urge residents to remain on high alert.

Typhoon Jangmi (Typhoon No. 6) swept across Japan on June 3rd, bringing record-breaking rainfall, widespread flooding, landslides, transport disruptions, and powerful winds, while prompting Tokyo's first-ever issuance of a Level 4 danger alert under the country's new weather warning system.

A body discovered in a river in Tatsuno, Hyogo Prefecture, has been identified as 42-year-old Kenji Oyama, the suspect wanted nationwide in connection with the murder of a mother and daughter last month, police announced on June 4th.

As Typhoon Jangmi (Typhoon No. 6) struck Wakayama Prefecture on June 3rd, the storm became the first major test of Japan's newly introduced disaster weather warning system, revealing both the benefits of earlier evacuation calls and the challenges local authorities faced in helping residents understand and respond to the new alerts.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Business NEWS

Nissan Motor has begun accepting orders in Japan for the Murano sport utility vehicle, which is produced in the United States, marking one of the first uses of a new vehicle certification framework established following a tariff agreement between Japan and the United States.

Uber Japan unveiled its latest strategy for its mobility business, including its taxi-hailing app operations, as the company seeks to expand its presence in a market where ride-hailing app usage remains lower than in many other countries.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced on June 2nd that it is considering imposing an additional 12.5% tariff on Japan, arguing that the country's measures to prevent the import of products made with forced labor are insufficient.

As labor shortages deepen across Japan, more companies in Okinawa are turning to foreign workers not only to fill vacancies but also to build long-term careers, creating support systems that help employees settle into local communities and remain in the workforce.

Quantum computing is attracting growing attention from investors as governments around the world increase support for the technology, raising expectations that it could become the next major investment theme after artificial intelligence.

Toyota Motor will suspend production at 13 domestic factories on June 3rd as Typhoon No. 6 approaches Japan, with the company prioritizing the safety of employees and contractors as severe weather is expected to affect a wide area from western to eastern Japan.

The Japan Housing Finance Agency announced on June 1st the interest rates that will apply in June for Flat 35, Japan’s long-term fixed-rate housing loan program.

ENEOS Holdings, Japan's largest oil refiner, is accelerating its push overseas as it seeks to raise the share of revenue generated outside Japan from roughly 20% today to 50% in the future, according to President Tomohide Miyata, who outlined the company's growth strategy in an extended interview that was not fully aired on TV Tokyo's World Business Satellite (WBS).