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Convenience stores are easily a part of everyone’s daily lives in Japan. So long as you’re in an urban area, you’re probably never more than a five-minute walk away from one. More commonly known as “conbini” in Japanese, they really are just as handy as their name suggests. Need to pay a bill or for an online purchase? Do it at the conbini. Want to print some photos or scan something? Get it done at the conbini. Late-night alcohol- or munchies-run? TO THE CONBINI!

While some convenience store chains can only be found in certain regions, others can be found nationwide. After opening its first stores on Friday, March 6 in Kouchi Prefecture, 7-Eleven only has three more prefectures to go until they’ve got the entire country covered.

7-Eleven opened three stores within Kouchi City on Friday, making its mark on the last prefecture in the Shikoku region of Japan. In 2013 they set up shop in Kagawa and Tokushima prefectures, and last year in Ehime. Now all that’s left for them is Aomori Prefecture in the far north of the Tōhoku region, oft-forgotten Tottori Prefecture in the Chūgoku region, and Okinawa, the archipelago located about 640 kilometers (400mi) south of the main islands of Japan.

mapImage: Netolabo edited by RocketNews24

As of the end of February, 7-Eleven numbered 17,492 stores located throughout 43 of the country’s 47 prefectures. With plans this summer to open stores in Aomori, and plans to team up with Japan Rail West and JR West Daily Service Net in the coming years to open stores in Tottori as well, their country-wide takeover is almost complete!

Source: Netolabo
Feature image: Wikipedia (KishujiRapid)