Why There Are So Many Vending Machines in Japan

In the Vox global exploration series entitled “Borders“, editor Johnny Wharris explains why Japan has so many vending machines, citing the country’s dwindling population, lack of real estate and fascination with robots as the main causes.

While in Japan I noticed vending machines everywhere. Looking into it a little deeper a discovered that there’s a very interesting answer to why Japan has so many vending machines. It’s an economic story but it’s also a story about how Japanese society values robotics and automation.