美国有线新闻 CNN 日本成为自动售货机大国

 

Spinning the globe for our next story, we're taking you to the island nation of Japan. With 126.7 million people living there, the country has less than 40 percent of the population size of the U.S., and yet Japan has 5 million vending¹ machines, compared to America's 7 million. So, significantly more machines per person in Japan.

We're touring the country now to show you the impacts this has on Japan's economy and its way of life.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There's one on almost every corner. They line side streets, train stations. Vending machines are an essential part of life in Japan. You could almost go an entire day fueled on stuff from them.

Let's begin with breakfast.

They have premium² banana. Low sugar banana.

Definitely need coffee.

Red means hot. Blue means cold.

One of my absolute favorite things about Japan. Hot coffee in a can.

A hot lunch too. Not your ordinary cup of noodle. This machine sells oden, a savory³ stew⁴.

Fish balls, or beef tendon, fish balls.

Hmm, I can see why this is popular in the winter times. The can is so warm and it tastes good.

Vending machines work around the clock, so they don't require people at the cash register. And you can buy what you want, when you want. No matter what you drink, there's a good chance the vending machine was made here, near Nagoya.

Fuji Electric counts about 20 beverage⁵ companies as clients. The machines come in different sizes and colors. But they're all pretty much the same inside.

"That gives us efficiency," says factory manager Mitsuhiro Saka. "We used manufacture machines in large quantities. But it's become smaller."

There are 5 million vending machines in Japan, according to the latest figures from the manufacturers association. That's one machine for every 25 people, said to be the highest concentration in the world. But those figures have actually declined a bit over the last decade in part from rising competition. It's still a very big business.

Vending machines sold more than $42 billion worth of goods in 2015, keeping all that cash safe is a serious concern, even in a low crime nation like Japan. So, we can't show you the money collection components⁶ inside the door. But I did learn how they make my coffee hot.

"We develop a hybrid⁷ system," explains Saka. "That uses exhaust heat created by the cooling chamber⁸ to warm up your drink to 55 degrees Celsius⁹, all the while saving energy."

But now, 24-hour convenience stores the Japanese called konbinis compete with vending machines for customers and beverage makers¹⁰ face a struggle securing new locations.

For operators like Ichiro Yonoi (ph), the challenge is still to refill machines with the bestselling products. He tells us he's been doing this for 12 years. He handles about 3,500 cans a day.

Technology could make his job easier. Smart vending machines connected to the Internet are able to collect sales data, even notify the repairman when they break down, another evolution for an every day object that's evolving, along with modern life in Japan.

1 vending   

v.出售（尤指土地等财产）( vend的现在分词 )；（尤指在公共场所）贩卖；发表（意见，言论）；声明

参考例句：

• Why Are You Banging on the Vending Machine? 你为什么敲打这台自动售货机？ 来自朗文快捷英语教程 2
• Coca-Cola had to adapt almost 300,000 vending machines to accept the new coins. 可口可乐公司必须使将近三十万台自动贩卖机接受新货币。 来自超越目标英语 第5册

2 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

3 savory   

adj.风味极佳的，可口的，味香的

参考例句：

• She placed a huge dish before him of savory steaming meat.她将一大盘热气腾腾、美味可口的肉放在他面前。
• He doesn't have a very savory reputation.他的名誉不太好。

4 stew   

n.炖汤，焖，烦恼；v.炖汤，焖，忧虑

参考例句：

• The stew must be boiled up before serving.炖肉必须煮熟才能上桌。
• There's no need to get in a stew.没有必要烦恼。

5 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

6 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

7 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

8 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

9 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

10 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》