On May 1, 2019, Japan turned into a new era from Heisei to Reiwa when the new emperor Naruhito was enthroned. Many proper in Japan were really excited about the beginning of the new era. 

But not everyone was happy. Hachioji Yorozucho, A worker of the convenience store 7-11, had been worked as this job in midnights for 12 years. This is a busy work. Yorozucho could never leave work on time which was 9 a.m. He and the store owner Toshiro Masuda were not excited of the coming of the new era. Masuda thought the excitement was the wish of the government. Even though they made good progress on the sales, they still faced problems since the lack of customers made them paying for the unsold goods. And the nightly revenue even couldn’t afford a worker’s salary. Even though they trade to stop the mode of 24 hours which was tiring and not really efficient, the public and the company rejected. Luckily, “Takanori Sakai, chairman of a union of convenience store operators in Japan”(Mainichi Japan,2019), and some managers of 7-11 realized the problem and decided to cancel the operation mode of 24 hours. Since the profit couldn’t catch up inflation, the condition of convenience store was ill tough. 

Convenience stores, such as 7-11, operate in the mode of 24-7 intend make the store really convenient, but this also causes some problem. the cost for operation at nights is almost the same as in daytimes. The company still need to pay for the electricity, water, salaries, etc. Can the revenue provided by the few customers cover the high cost? Moreover, it is really tiring and unsafe. It becomes hard to control the working environment. If something happens, there will be extra cost.  

On the other hand, convenience stores seem to be necessary especially in cities. Even there are less customers, there always exists people in need of the stores. For example, someone need felt really hungry after leaving work in the late night; someone is hurt and needs a bandage. Opening the stores at night really helps people and can gain good impressions form the public. But is it worth being so responsible to the society consider the unbalance of the gain and loss?

Maybe there is a small tip: the government can make statistics of the convenient stores at nights and even evaluate the quality and the income situation and give some allowance to decrease the losses. 

original news: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190504/p2a/00m/0na/008000c