Tokyo, June 20, 2008 (Jiji Press) - Japan's convenience store industry hopes to continue operating their stores around the clock, an industry leader said Friday, rejecting calls for shorter business hours to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
By maintaining 24-hour operations, the industry hope to ensure convenience to consumers, Japan Franchise Association Chairman Kiyoshi Hijikata told a news conference.
Hijikata, chairman of Circle K Sunkus Co. <3337>, made the remarks after the city of Kyoto and the prefectures of Saitama and Kanagawa asked convenience store chains to voluntarily give up late-night store operations to support the country's efforts to curb global warming.
The requests are unfair to convenience stores, Hijikata said, adding that the industry hopes to make its contribution to the fight against global warming through other means.
Seven-Eleven Japan Co. President Toshiro Yamaguchi, speaking at the same news conference, said he is sorry the municipalities made the requests without prior talks.
But Seven-Eleven Japan, a unit of Seven & i Holdings Co. <3382>, will actively participate in discussions with the municipalities from now, Yamaguchi said.
Yamaguchi said he is not sure whether the company should comply with the requests because it did not know the full details.
The association estimates that the industry would be able to cut its carbon dioxide emissions by only 4 pct if it cuts store operating hours by one-third to 16 hours.
This is because refrigerators would have be kept on during the hours when stores were closed and trucking operations now conducted at night would have to be shifted to daytime, worsening traffic congestion, the association said.
Thanks to their 24-hour operations, convenience stores create many jobs while contributing to community anticrime efforts, according to the association.
The association expects sales would slump some 20 pct if store operating hours were reduced to 16 hours.
Copyright © 2010 JCN. All rights reserved. A division of Japan Corporate News Network KK.
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