On January 31, Digital Minister Taro Kono visited a Seven-Eleven store in Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. This is to observe that it is now possible to purchase alcohol and cigarettes at self-checkout stores such as convenience stores. Age verification is required for the purchase of alcohol and cigarettes, and in the past, it was necessary for clerks to visually verify age. However, on January 31, the Japan Franchise Association announced the "Guidelines for Verifying the Age of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco Using Digital Technology." It is now possible to sell without visual confirmation by the clerk. These guidelines have been evaluated as "reasonable and reasonable" by the government's T... [Read more]