WASHINGTON – A five-minute walk in most Japanese cities might reveal just one convenience store, reports NPR. But c-stores aren’t just a place for snacks and beverages; nearly 27% of Japan’s population is age 65 or older, and c-stores are evolving to meet the needs of these customers.

“Case in point is a Lawson convenience store in the city of Kawaguchi, north of Tokyo. It sells products that an American consumer would never find tucked between the aspirin and the candy bars. For example, there's a whole rack of ready-to-heat meals in colorful pouches. They're rated at levels from 1 to 5, based on how hard it is to chew what's inside,” writes NPR.

Many elderly customers are also attracted to a fresh food section inside the store. This is “unlike anything you'd see in most U.S. mini-marts,” notes the news source, complete with fresh meats and vegetables already cut and portioned into single-serve amounts. There’s also products for caregivers of the elderly, such as strong, deodorizing laundry detergent or devices that are useful for giving bed baths.

Ming Li, who works in communications for Lawson, told NPR that older adults are a customer segment that cannot be ignored. “We try to accommodate the changes in society,” he says.

The Kawaguchi Lawson store is one of six stores that offers a special line called Care Lawson. The program also features special staff like Mika Kojima, a nursing care manager, who help by going to an older customer’s home and making sure it’s set up safely, or connect families with adult day care services. Her office at the Lawson store is next to a cafe area that gives older customers a place to meet, drink tea and watch TV. 

"People in the neighborhood come in for tea and they start talking to me," Kojima told NPR. "And they come in four or five times a week."