TOKYO -- Convenience store operator FamilyMart looks to open about 1,000 unstaffed shops by the end of fiscal 2024 offering the same products as the chain's regular outlets, in the first large-scale deployment of fully automated stores in Japan.
Japan loosened regulations last year that required stores to have employees on staff. The country's labor shortage is set to intensify as the population continues to decline, and more businesses are moving to streamline operations using digital technology.
