Lawson Tries Out Unmanned Store Operation

The store in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, will have no clerks from midnight to 5 a.m. Customers can enter the store using a smartphone app or by having a picture of their face taken at the entrance. They can purchase products using self-checkout devices. Cigarettes and alcohol will not be sold during the unmanned hours.

The rapidly aging society and low birth rate have brought about a critical labor shortage throughout Japan. Convenience stores are facing increasing difficulties operating at night. Lawson’s experiment is scheduled to last for six months.