FUTTSU, CHIBA PREF. ¨C Lawson on Tuesday opened a store designed to help residents during times of disaster in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, the convenience store chain¡¯s first such outlet.
In collaboration with wireless operator KDDI, the store has a Starlink antenna to offer residents Wi-Fi connections for free when mobile and fixed-line phone services are disrupted. A battery charger that can charge up to 10 smartphones at the same time is also available. A disposable toilet is also ready to ensure restroom access even when the water supply is cut off. Digital signage was also installed to share disaster information.
The store, which will operate as a regular outlet as well, plans to sell rice balls made on site and provide nonpotable water from a well for daily use.
A storage battery and solar panels were introduced to cover electricity needs at the store during an outage.
The company aims to increase the number of such stores to 100 across the country by fiscal 2030 to prepare for possible large-scale disasters such as a massive earthquake in the Nankai Trough off the country¡¯s Pacific coast.
¡°We¡¯ll open such stores mainly on the Pacific coast side, which has higher risks of disasters,¡± Lawson President and CEO Sadanobu Takemasu said.
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