According to a Wikipedia article:  

In Japan, with a high population density, limited space, a preference for shopping on foot or by bicycle, and low rates of vandalism and petty crime, there seems to be no limit to what is sold by vending machines.

While the majority of machines in Japan are stocked with drinks, snacks, and cigarettes, one occasionally finds vending machines selling items such as bottles of liquor, cans of beer, fried food, underwear, pornography and sexual lubricants, and potted plants. Japan has the highest number of vending machines per capita, with about one machine for every 23 people.

The first vending machine in Japan was made of wood and sold postage stamps and post cards. About 80 years ago, there were vending machines that sold sweets called “Glico”. In 1967, the 100-yen coin was distributed for the first time, and vending machine sales skyrocketed overnight, selling a vast variety of items everywhere.

Lee in the Tokyo Times blog quotes Takashi Kurosaki, director-general of the Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers Association on his organisation’s astounding success:

“Vending machines spread in Japan because of people’s demand for automation. Leaving aside the issue of whether this is good or bad, people clearly want to purchase things without having to talk to others.” However, Lee goes on to say:

With 5.51 million vending machines already in Japan, Kurosaki-san may well be on to something; however as association head, he could be a little biased, as surely the vending machine is simply a convenient way of grabbing a drink or snack on the way to work, rather than an indicator of Japanese society’s uncommunicative character.

I mean, while beverages and bars of chocolate are one thing, it’s not as though people would happily go out and buy the likes of fruit and veg from a machine just to avoid meeting people. Now that would be an indicator of societal indifference.

Convenience, societal indifference, or silent saviour when purchasing questionable products? Hard to say, but the post has some further speculation as well as some nice photos of various vending machines. In fact, there are many other interesting photos on the site too.    

Source: Lee. “Taciturn Tokyo?” Tokyo Times 05/07/07.

Related Post: “Japanese #1 Language in Blogosphere,” EBT Blog 05/17/07.

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