Japanese Convenience Stores (Konbini) May Be At a Crossroads
![Interior of a Japanese convenience store (konbini). From Wikimedia Commons, mxmstryo [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/images/konbini-interior1.jpg?itok=BKMOYzSG "Interior of a Japanese convenience store (konbini). From Wikimedia Commons.")
For decades, convenience stores (konbini) in Japan have been a fixture in the urban landscape, a much loved and much praised part of Japanese society. But there are signs that the konbini business may be showing some cracks, that reflect the problems of the society as a whole.