Some facts:
Japan has the highest concentration of vending machines in the world, with a total of 5.2 million in 2008, or one vending machine for every 23 people. Income from vending is estimated at $6 trillion. To cite a few statistics, 2.6 million (roughly half of all Japanese vending machines) are soft drink machines, 424,200 dispense cigarettes, and 84,800 dispense food.
Fun with 150yen:
Most drinks are between 120 to 200 yen. Past JOE members would fine a favourite drink or Ice cream and at each opportunity hunt for that item in the next group of vending machines.
Note on the drink vending machine the red section under the cans of coffee; they are hot serves of coffee, tea, even corn soup!
genesis2japan 