hi bernie ...
...
well i guess they are in china/korea, but they aren't on EVERY SINGLE street corner like they are in Japan.
the vending machine is a special institution in japan.
they sell everything in them from hot/cold coffee to panties to ties to nappies; and they are never vandalised like they are in the west.
the existence of the vending machine in japan, combined with societies dependence upon them has meant that the Coca Cola company and its rivals experience skewed sales results for Japan when compared with other countries such as China and Australia (who have higher bulk purchase percentages).
why didn't i note the hiragana before the vending machines... because i thought it was just too obvious for this forum.