Behind the scenes of 24/7 service: The realities of 'owning' a Japanese convenience store
A family that owns a 7-Eleven franchise in Japan struggles to keep their business afloat. The owner of one store has stated that the works 500 hours each month. When his wife is at work with him, their children play in a backroom. As a result of the labor shortage in Japan, many franchise owners are struggling to keep their stores open. Less workers means less time spent with family members, and for one business owner it means long hours and frequent illness.
See "Behind the scenes of 24/7 service: The realities of 'owning' a Japanese convenience store", Chunichi Shimbun, The Japan Times, May 27, 2019