Gas stations (GS), which have supported the Japanese automobile industry from the sidelines, are rapidly decreasing. According to the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, the number of gas stations will be 27,414 at the end of fiscal year 2023. This number is less than half the number of gas stations in fiscal year 1994, when there were more than 60,000 at the peak. The number of gas stations in Japan has decreased by about 7,200 in the past 10 years. The number of gas stations in Japan is rapidly decreasing, especially in urban areas. Each company is rushing to transform in order to survive. In fact, gas stations have the advantage of transforming. The advantage of gas stations is their good location.
Gas stations are often located in highly convenient locations. They are located in locations that make it easy for vehicles such as trucks to enter and exit, and can take advantage of people’s mobility. ENEOS is conducting a demonstration experiment to utilize these strengths of gas stations as “temporary storage locations” for the delivery network. The goods that are stored are those that will be delivered to residents within a radius of about 2 kilometers from the GS. One such model is the “Dr. Drive Cebu Hokima Store,” which has an ENEOS sign in Adachi Ward, Tokyo. The Hokima store has a luggage storage rack that is 1 meter square and just under 2 meters high. Cardboard boxes are placed on the rack. The contents of these cardboard boxes are products from major online shopping sites. Gig workers take the cardboard boxes from the luggage storage rack and head to the delivery site by bicycle or on foot. Using this method, logistics companies can reduce the distance and time required for delivery by 30 to 40 percent. This is an effective method for solving the last mile.
Yabusaki Sangyo (Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture) operates 17 Idemitsu Kosan gas stations in Chiba Prefecture. In 2022, Yabusaki Sangyo started a service to support the lives of local elderly people. Yabusaki Sangyo’s service is used by 400 people, mainly elderly people in their 70s and 90s who do not own cars. If an elderly person requests help setting up their newly purchased smartphone, an employee will be dispatched to solve the problem. If someone asks you to accompany them to their grandchild’s wedding because they have trouble with their legs, you can drive them to the venue and do odd jobs. Yabusaki Sangyo has 16 specialized staff members who respond to requests within a 3-4 km radius of the headquarters. The service fee seems to start at 3,000 yen per hour. There is hope for a declining industry to share ideas by taking advantage of the good location.
