The mass media says Japan’s economy is in unprecedented good times. In fact, many big companies are gaining the highest profit in their history. On the other hand, people – even office workers of big companies – say they do not feel those profits in their everyday life. According to the T.V. and newspaper, it is because they have not gotten a raise.
Recently I decided to close my pharmacy on Nyuzen’s main street. Nyuzen is a small town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan. Someone said it’s a car street not a shopping street, and another person said it’s a “ghost town.” People go shopping at big stores far from our main street. They are selling things cheaper than our prime costs. As a result, many small stores are closing. There are so many empty stores and parking spaces on our street now. There used to be four supermarkets about twenty years ago, but now there’s none! There used to be a fairly big clothing store next to my pharmacy, but it’s a parking area now. In addition, there is only one child under 18 in our district. Most children of shopkeepers don’t want to take over their parents businesses. And parents don’t want them to either.
There are so many customers in big stores, but even for them it’s not easy to carry through, because there are bigger stores which have bigger capital. Someone said “Money flows from the lower place to the higher place.” People know that this was caused the deregulation policy. I know the deregulation is necessary to compete against foreign countries, but I also know that there are many people who are being left behind.
Back to my problem; when I look around the situation of our shopping street and myself, I think it’s time to change my life–style. I think it’s the best decision for me, but I was very sorry for my neighbors because I left another empty store on our already quiet street.
The economy is always moving. A big turning point is coming to the commercial businesses. People, who can not drive, won’t be able to go shopping on the outskirts in our aging society. People will need stores close to their houses. But I think those stores are quite different from today’s personal stores. In fact, some big companies are going to start new businesses. There will be many small stores opened by them in the city centers in the near future.
Recently I decided to close my pharmacy on Nyuzen’s main street. Nyuzen is a small town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan. Someone said it’s a car street not a shopping street, and another person said it’s a “ghost town.” People go shopping at big stores far from our main street. They are selling things cheaper than our prime costs. As a result, many small stores are closing. There are so many empty stores and parking spaces on our street now. There used to be four supermarkets about twenty years ago, but now there’s none! There used to be a fairly big clothing store next to my pharmacy, but it’s a parking area now. In addition, there is only one child under 18 in our district. Most children of shopkeepers don’t want to take over their parents businesses. And parents don’t want them to either.
There are so many customers in big stores, but even for them it’s not easy to carry through, because there are bigger stores which have bigger capital. Someone said “Money flows from the lower place to the higher place.” People know that this was caused the deregulation policy. I know the deregulation is necessary to compete against foreign countries, but I also know that there are many people who are being left behind.
Back to my problem; when I look around the situation of our shopping street and myself, I think it’s time to change my life–style. I think it’s the best decision for me, but I was very sorry for my neighbors because I left another empty store on our already quiet street.
The economy is always moving. A big turning point is coming to the commercial businesses. People, who can not drive, won’t be able to go shopping on the outskirts in our aging society. People will need stores close to their houses. But I think those stores are quite different from today’s personal stores. In fact, some big companies are going to start new businesses. There will be many small stores opened by them in the city centers in the near future.
