Other factors behind the decline of shotengai are the relaxing of restrictions on the size, location, and operating hours of larger retailers, partly as a resul

Other factors behind the decline of shotengai are the relaxing of restrictions on the size, location, and operating hours of larger retailers, partly as a result of international pressure [1, in Japanese]; fewer young people wanting to take over family businesses; more women with full-time jobs and less time to shop; and, as elsewhere, competition from online shopping. But individual-run retail businesses are still common in Japan. While it isn’t easy to make a living at it, many people still aspire to run their own shops or restaurants and distinctive new ones appear all the time. Just yesterday, I noticed a small, trendy-looking restaurant [2] that has opened a few blocks from where I live in Yokohama. It’s not the kind of food I particularly like and the location on a quiet residential street seems risky, but I was glad to see them there and hope they succeed. [1] https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A7%E8%A6%8F%E6%A8%A1%E5%B0%8F%E5%A3%B2%E5%BA%97%E8%88%97%E7%AB%8B%E5%9C%B0%E6%B3%95 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A7%E8%A6%8F%E6%A8%A1%E5... [2] https://haseshige.jp/ https://haseshige.jp/