Editing Vending machine (section)

==Popularity in Japan==
Vending machines are a common sight in Japan, and are considerably popular. There are more than 5.5 million machines installed throughout the nation, and Japan holds the highest ratio of machines per person for any country with one machine for every twenty-three people.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Jacopo Prisco|title=The beauty of Japan's lonely vending machines|url=https://www.cnn.com/style/article/japan-vending-machines-eiji-ohashi/index.html|access-date=2021-08-08|website=CNN|date=27 October 2017 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/japan-vending-machines-eiji-ohashi/index.html|title=Japan's lonely vending machines|date=27 October 2017|access-date=13 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://adage.com/article/global-news/marketing-japan-vending-machine-wars/112475/|title=Hi-Tech Vending Machines in Japan Pose Constant Challenge|website=adage.com|date=16 October 2006 |language=en|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref>

Regarding the development of advanced technology, Japanese vending machines provide more services by selling different kinds of products. Food, smartphones, SIM cards, and even clothing can be found in these machines. Apart from the most popular drink vending machines, Japanese vending machines also offer certain products depending on the demand and need for different locations. For example, products like [[sanitary napkin]]s and [[tampon]]s can be found in vending machines in female restrooms, while machines selling [[condom]]s are usually located in male restrooms.<ref>{{cite news |title=Japan's vending machine culture is ahead of the curve |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Tea-Leaves/Japan-s-vending-machine-culture-is-ahead-of-the-curve |publisher=Nikkei Asia |date=May 16, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Japan vending machines to automatically offer free food if earthquake hits |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/02/japan-vending-machines-to-automatically-offer-free-food-if-earthquake-hits |work=The Guardian |date=June 2, 2023}}</ref>

Convenience, low cost of running, security, and stability seem to be the main reasons for Japan to invest in vending machines.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.toutiaoabc.com/index.php?act=view&nid=542658|title=日本的自动贩卖机为什么无处不在？ -留园新闻速递 NEWS|website=www.toutiaoabc.com|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref>

A patent for an "automatic goods vending machine" was filed in 1888 in Japan; early surviving vending machines from around the 1900s include one that dispenses stamps and postcards, and one that dispenses [[sake]]. Confectionery vending machines became widespread in the 1920s, and juice vending machines became popular in the late 1950s and 1960s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sts.kahaku.go.jp/diversity/document/system/pdf/026_e.pdf |title=History of the Development of Beverage Vending Machine Technology in Japan |author=Yoshihiro Higuchi |work=Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology}}</ref>  By 2000, the number of vending machines in Japan had grown to 5.6 million.  However, from around the early 2000s, the number of vending machines in Japan decreased slightly to 5.03 million, and the sales amount also decreased gradually, in part due to the rise of digital technology and market competition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/36954011|title=日本那些神奇的自动贩卖机！|website=知乎专栏|language=zh|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref> In recent years, attention has been drawn towards older machines, such as the collection of vintage vending machines installed at the [[Sagamihara Vending Machine Park]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Alex K.T. |title=Out of the box: Japan's vending machines get a modern makeover amid pandemic |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/05/09/business/japan-vending-machines/ |website=Japan Times |access-date=8 June 2023 |date=May 9, 2022}}</ref>

In 2024, it was reported that a sizeable portion of the vending machines in Japan would require updates to their acceptors in order to accept the new designs for the Japanese yen banknotes that were due to be released that year.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Notoya |first1=Kiuko |last2=Yoon |first2=John |date=2024-06-07 |title=Japan Runs on Vending Machines. It's About to Break Millions of Them. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/07/world/asia/japan-bank-notes-vending-machines.html |access-date=2024-06-26 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

<gallery class="center" widths="300px" height="250px">
File:Vending Machine in Iwami-Ginzan.jpg|A vending machine with wooden cladding at [[Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine]] in [[Ōda, Shimane|Ōda]], [[Shimane Prefecture|Shimane]], Japan
File:Vending machine of Japanese local curries in retort pouches at Asakusa in Tokyo 2018-9-23.jpg|upright|A vending machine of retort pouched curries at [[Asakusa]], Japan
File:Sagamihara Vending Machine Park – machines.jpg|A line of vintage vending machines at the [[Sagamihara Vending Machine Park]], [[Kanagawa Prefecture|Kanagawa]], Japan
</gallery>