Major convenience store chain Lawson has begun to upgrade select outlets that would be able to act as disaster relief centers and is looking to have a network of 100 these by fiscal 2030.
The stores would offer services such as rental portable battery chargers, while rice balls could be prepared ad hoc and handed out from in-store kitchens.
Rooftop solar panels and a system in which energy could be redirected from power supply vehicles or electric vehicles would allow the stores to continue to operate even during large-scale electricity shortages.
The stores will also have a stock of disaster relief toilet absorbents that could be used in the event of a disruption to water supplies, while in-store digital signage will provide the latest news and information on the disaster.
The franchise announced that a Lawson in the city of Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, will be the first store to be outfitted with disaster relief services. It will be equipped this fiscal year, which ends in March.
The company is looking to have at least 100 stores nationwide designated as ¡°disaster relief convenience stores¡± by fiscal 2030.
By then, the company is aiming to also swap out 100 corporate cars for electric vehicles so that they can be used as a source of power in the event of an emergency.
The move by Lawson comes amid longstanding concerns about the potential for a Nankai Trough megaquake. According to the most recent projection by the government, the probability of a huge quake occurring within the next 30 years along the Nankai Trough is thought to be between 60% and 94.5% or higher.
Incidents of torrential rain are also a growing threat, in large part due to human-driven climate change.
Japan is a country that is constantly at risk of being hit by a major natural disaster and thus it is essential for businesses to prepare for such scenarios, the company said.
¡°Lawson aims to operate stores equipped with facilities and disaster-prevention supplies designed to continue business during natural disasters,¡± read the statement from Lawson.
¡°Drawing on past experiences, the goal is to make these stores serve as hubs to support the community and to continue operations as an essential piece of local infrastructure whilst prioritizing saving lives.¡±
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