ついつい誰かに話したくなってしまう日本のこと。
今回は独自の進化をフカボリ！『自動販売機』を説明してみましょう。

まずはKey Words & Phrasesから。

テーマに関連する語句

vending machine（自動販売機）　　
install（《装置などを》設置する・取り付ける）
touch-screen（タッチパネル搭載の）
coin-operated（コイン式の）
unattended（無人の）

一般的な語句

first-ever（史上初の）
become widely used（普及する）
literally（文字どおり・誇張なしに）
per capita（一人当たりの）
in the recent past（近年になって）
make an appearance（登場する・出現する）
wide range of X from…to ~（・・・から～まで様々なX）
as a matter of course（当然のことながら）　
private property（私有地）
vandalism（器物損壊・破壊）

続いて、今回のテーマに挑戦！

Did you know that Japan has the largest number of vending machines per capita?
（日本は人口一人あたりの自販機台数が世界一だって知っていましたか？）

・The first-ever vending machine in the world is believed to have been invented in Egypt around the 2nd century B.C, and they became widely used in many countries after the late 18th century.
・In Japan, the first vending machine appeared in the early 19th century, started to grow popular in the 1960s and they are literally everywhere in the country now. Although the number of machines installed is bigger in the U.S, Japan has the largest number of vending machines per capita.
・In the recent past, touch-screen type of vending machines made an appearance in addition to existing coin-operated ones.
・What is more, Japanese vending machines sell a wide range of goods from common products such as drinks to unique and unusual items.
・It is safe to say that vending machines are an essential part of the Japanese society and culture.

3 Questions for Digging Deeper! 《 もっと掘り下げてみよう！ 》

1. Where and how many vending machines are in Japan?
（どこに、どのぐらいの数の自動販売機があるの？）

According to certain statistics, the number of vending machines nationwide is approximately 5 million, and that means there is one machine per every 24 people of the population. As for the location, vending machines are installed everywhere in the cities, streets, hotels, offices and even in front of individual houses. It is not unusual to see vending machines placed in private property.

2. What goods are sold in the vending machine?
（どんな商品が売られているの？）

As a matter of course, common items such as drinks and snacks are available, and in addition to that, unusual goods including fresh fruits, vegetables, cup noodles provided with hot water, umbrellas and surgical masks are sold in some machines. The uniqueness of Japanese vending machines are well known among visitors from overseas, and some travelers enjoy touring those unique vending machines during their stay in Japan.

3. Why did vending machines become widely popular in Japan?
（日本で自販機が普及した理由は？）

One possible reason is that because the society is safe and well maintained. As a vending machine is an unattended service, it is not so easy to place them in some countries due to unsafety. However, it is not so hard to place vending machines in Japan, as there’s not much crime such as vandalism and theft.

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日本では当たり前のように使っている自動販売機ですが、国によっては治安の問題で設置が難しいこともあるようです。背景事情にも目を向けてみると話が広がりそうですね！

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