Japanese shops rush to rid their shelves of PORN ahead of Olympic Games and Rugby World Cup
- 7-Eleven and its rival Lawson serve families as well as tourists vising the country
- Japan will host the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and the Olympic Games in 2020
- The stores said the decision ‘is aimed at avoiding giving a bad impression’
Japanese convenience stores are rushing to stop selling pornographic magazines before tourists visit the nation for the Olympic Games and the Rugby World Cup.
Industry leader 7-Eleven said it would ditch sales of ‘adult’ magazines by this summer, ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup starting in September, after its rival Lawson announced a similar plan.
The decisions came as Japan’s convenience stores serve many families with young children, as well as tourists visiting the country.
Customers at 7-Eleven shops mainly buy food to eat immediately, such as boxed lunches
Lawson announced a similar plan to get rid of their ‘adult’ magazines ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Summer Olympic Games
At Japan’s 24-hour convenience stores, customers can buy everything from warm meals to concert tickets, pay utility bills, send and receive parcels.
Tourists are often surprised to see adult magazines openly available on low shelves.
The decision by 7-Eleven and Lawson ‘is aimed at avoiding giving a bad impression’ to foreigners during the Rugby World Cup in September this year and the summer Olympic Games which Japan will host in 2020, Kyodo News said.
The 2020 Summer Olympics will take place in Tokyo, Japan from 24 July to 9 August 2020
Yoshitaka Sakurada, minister in charge of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics
Seven & i Holdings, which runs 20,700 7-Eleven stores across Japan, including franchise outlets, said the decision was made after reviewing ‘various opinions’.
A company spokesman said about 5,000 stores have never sold or have stopped selling porn, which accounts for less than one percent of overall sales.
‘We knew those sporting events are coming in the future, and those were among factors that we considered,’ he told AFP, adding that it was not the only reason behind the decision.
A company spokesman said about 5,000 stores have never sold or have stopped selling porn
Traditionally, customers at 7-Eleven shops mainly buy food to eat immediately, such as boxed lunches.
Now, more customers are buying cut vegetables and other products they can easily cook and eat at home.
‘The way people use 7-Eleven has changed over the years,’ the spokesman said.
‘We can sell other merchandise at the newly available space,’ he said.