Lawson Inc. and its owners, major trading house Mitsubishi Corp. and telecomuniations carrier KDDI Corp., said Wednesday that they will open “future” convenience stores utilizing digital technology in Tokyo next spring.
The new stores, located in the Takanawa Gateway City complex in Tokyo’s Minato Ward, will feature robots that can stock shelves and cook, as well as artificial intelligence signage that recommends products to customers. A booth will also be set up where customers can consult remotely on topics such as nursing care and asset management.
The project aims to reduce the amount of tasks for store staff by 30 pct by fiscal 2030.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Lawson President Sadanobu Takemasu said that labor shortages are the number one issue to address. “We aim for stores with the highest growth potential in the world,” he also said.
KDDI will provide technical support for the project while leveraging Lawson’s stores to expand its customer base. It will renew its subscription services next month to distribute coupons that can be used at Lawson stores.
Extracted in full from: https://www.nippon.com/en/news/yjj2024091801097/
