S1E9: From caviar to holidays to love, Japan still land of vending machines: Letter From The Bureau

Synopsis: The Straits Times' foreign editor Bhagyashree Garekar chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe every month.

They talk about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises.

In this episode, she chats with ST's Japan correspondent Walter Sim.

Highlights (click/tap above):

01:26 Decline in the number of vending machines in Japan - is the lure fading?

03:24 Japan's history of vending machines and changes over the years

09:40 Popularity of vending machines on the rise due to the Covid-19 pandemic

12:01 Pros and cons of vending machines - in terms of a business deal

14:55 Weirdest product to come out of a vending machine

Produced by: Bhagyashree Garekar (bhagya@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Fa'izah Sani

Edited by: Fa'izah Sani

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