The convenience store Seven-Eleven is beginning a trial of shorter business hours in some of its Japan locations. Rather than staying open 24 hours a day, stores will remain open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., 6a.m. to 12 a.m., or 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. The trial will run for a few months in order to allow the company to determine which hours are best suited for various Japanese locations. While the difficulties that the firm faces have raised issues regarding the labor shortage, critics feel that convenience stores in Japan may continue to suffer due to an aging population and competition from online markets.
See "Seven-Eleven begins trial of shorter business hours as convenience stores grapple with Japan's labor crunch", The Japan Times, March 22, 2019