The Cooperation between Lawson and Matsukiyo

(Oita Godo Newspaper, August 24th 2009, morning paper)

The second biggest convenience store Lawson and the industry leader Matsumotokoyoshi Holdings drugstore agreed on a business partnership. As a result of the partnership, from next spring, there will be newly-designed stores including convenience stores and drugstores in each of the new store. Both companies made an announcement regarding the business partnership on the same day, August 24^th 2009.

Corresponding to the abolishment of a regulation, it became much easier to sell medicine (medicine for general public) in convenience stores. Therefore, by increasing customers' convenience, they would increase their sales as well. It seems that their partnership would be able to go well in the future, due to the deregulation and personal consumption.

The newly-designed shop would be more spacious than the normal convenience stores, whereby people are able to buy bento and other drugs. Within the same year, they would like to carry out the plan to establish a new company, to increase investment ratio and the scale of the stores.

Medicine and daily necessities would be supplied to Lawson.

Comment: The most important point to remember in business is to cater to the needs of society, to make things more and more convenient for the customers, to create useful things for society.

NUGROHO Katarina Marsha Utama

Indonesia

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM3