Do you think convenience stores should be open 24 hours a day?

A:

I think convenience stores should close sometime in the evening. There aren’t enough people working at convenience stores these days, so the staff has to work long hours. And besides, the number of people who visit convenience stores late at night has gone down.

B:

I’m afraid I disagree. Even if the number has gone down, it’s still important for convenience stores to be open 24 hours a day, and not just because of their products.

C:

What do you mean?

B:

Well, they offer essential services, too. Lots of people go there to use their ATMs and copy machines, even late at night.

C:

That’s a good point. And when there’s an earthquake or other natural disaster, people depend on convenience stores for food and first aid supplies. Everyone knows where the closest convenience store is, but not everyone knows where the closest evacuation area＊ is.

A:

I suppose convenience store owners need to make their jobs more attractive to find new staff.

B:

That’s one option. Another option is to hire more foreign workers. In Tokyo these days, you can find foreign staff at many convenience stores. We can also solve the problem with technology. Some convenience store chains are testing technology that allows customers to pay for goods without even going to a cash register.

A:

Wow! Let me summarize the main points. There isn’t enough staff to support 24-hour convenience stores, but there are good reasons to keep them open. Convenience store owners can try to address the problem by hiring new local and foreign staff as well as by using technology. ＊evacuation area（避難所）