How Many Vending Machines in Japan? Type of Vending Machines

Whether you’ve visited Japan before or you’ve watched a Japanese movie, anime, or documentary, it’s easy to notice the incredible number of vending machines in the country.

It’s nearly impossible to ignore the country’s obsession with vending machines, which makes Japan feel like the country with the most vending machines. But is it really?

And how many vending machines are in Japan?

According to Japan Times, the number of vending machines in Japan is believed to be around 5 million vending machines, which makes it one of the most vending machine-dense countries in the world!

If you want to know more about the number of vending machines as well as answers to some of the most common questions about Japanese vending machines, keep on reading this article!

RELATED READ: How Do Hot Food Vending Machines Work?

How Many Vending Machines Are There in Japan?

According to the Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers Association, the total number of vending machines in Japan is exactly 4,003,600 units, as of December 2021. Similarly, a report by Statista, the total number of vending machines is around 4,045,800. However, the exact number differs.

Due to the incredibly large number of vending machines all over the country, it’s relatively hard to keep track of the exact number of machines that are still in service. For that reason, the actual estimate for Japanese vending machines is somewhat debated.

On one hand, there are plenty of sources that claim that the number of vending machines in Japan is as large as 5 million vending machines. However, there is little data that support these claims.

On the other hand, more official sources of data, such as the Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers Association, have stated in their report that the total number of vending machines in Japan is exactly 4,003,600 units, as of December 2021.

Similarly, a report by Statista, that classifies the number of vending machines in Japan per type also found that the total number of vending machines is around 4,045,800, which decreased by up to one million units since 2011.

There are two major reasons for the difference in numbers of one estimate to another, including:

• Introduction of new machines and retiring old ones every year
• Some estimates count large vending machines that have multiple selling slots as multiple units while others count them as one. 

All in all, it’s easy to assume that the number of vending machines in Japan is anywhere between 4 to 5 million units, which is an astonishingly large number!

Does Japan Have the Largest Number of Vending Machines in the World?

Despite having an absolutely amazing collection of vending machines, Japan comes in second place when it comes to the sheer number of units around the globe.

The United States remains the country with the largest number of vending machines all over the world, as most reports estimate the number of vending machines in the country to be anywhere from 5 to 7 million units.

While the United States has more machines, Japan has the highest number of units per capita as well as the highest density of vending machines all over the world!

Japan’s population is around 125 million while America’s is 332.4 million. This means that there’s one vending machine for every 25 to 30 Japanese vs 47 to 66 Americans.

Why Does Japan Have So Many Vending Machines?

There are plenty of reasons why Japan is obsessed with vending machines. For starters, vending machines are an excellent form of passive income, as they require much less maintenance and attendance when compared to stores.

Additionally, the cost of labor in Japan is pretty high, which increases the price of all products around the country. Since vending machines save the costs of labor, many snacks and drinks from vending machines are more affordable.

Similarly, despite having a large population, Japan is a relatively small-sized country. This makes real estate prices extremely high. 

For that reason, renting or owning a store takes up a huge chunk of profits, which also increases the prices. Vending machines, on the other hand, take very little space.

Moreover, since Japan ranks as one of the countries with the lowest larceny and robbery rates in the world, it’s a safe environment for businesses like vending machines to flourish.

Japan is also one of the most advanced industry centers in the world, and since they build many of their machines, a lot of companies there specialize in making unique vending machines that sell anything you can imagine!

What Is the Most Common Type of Vending Machines in Japan?

According to another report by Statista, Beverage vending machines remain the most common type in Japan with 2.28 million units while automated services come in second place at 1.29 million units.

The automated services make up machines for change exchange, currency exchange, fare adjustment, lending money, coin lockers, and more.

Japan also has over 61,100 units of vending machines that sell bus and train tickets, which is slightly less than machines that sell snacks and food (around 70,000 units)

What Forms of Payment Do Japanese Vending Machines Accept?

The vast majority of vending machines in Japan will accept payment in Japanese coins, including payments of 10, 50, 100, and up to 500 yen coins. Vending machines will also accept 1,000 yen bills.

Despite being technologically advanced, Japan isn’t really a cashless society, so there aren’t as many machines that accept credit cards as in the United States. 

However, most modern vending machines there will accept various forms of e-cards (such as IC cards) and bank cards.

When Was the First Vending Machine in Japan Introduced?

Although beverages are the most common type of vending machine in Japan today, the first-ever unit in Japan was actually a tobacco and cigarette vending machine.

This machine was built by Tawaraya Koshichi in 1888 in present-day Yamaguchi Prefecture (previously known as Bakan), which was an inventor and furniture maker.

Final Thoughts

There you have it! A complete guide that answers the popular question “How many vending machines are in Japan?”.

As you can see, vending machines are easily part of Japanese culture, so it’s no surprise that there are millions of vending machines in every block and alley!

The number can vary and will change over the years. However, we will try our best to update you with the latest results.