With the recent disasters in Japan and shortage of electricity, comes a new era of vending machines that are both eco-friendly as well as energy saving. We have seen countless fascinating innovations in many sectors of Japan involving the recent trend in “setsuden” (energy saving) and “teiden taisaku” (blackout countermeasures). As we also know, vending machines are a significant part of Japanese culture, located on the corner of every street, entrance of a building, and even rows of them side by side. However, these convenient, but not-so-efficient ubiquitous machines, devour an astonishing amount of electricity for their size. Numerous measures have been taken up by JVMA (Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers Association) to reduce the use of electrical energy such as Zone Cooling (in which the machines only cool/heat the next few cans that are ready to be sold), a sensor which enables it to turn off its lighting system during the day and when there are nearby lights, and a “Vacuum Insulation” system where materials such as glass wool and metallic films are used to prevent heat and cold loss.
Fujitaka Corporation, commonly known for its digital signage systems and eco-friendly/labor saving machines, introduced at the Digital Signage Japan 2011 event, the Ranman, a vending machine that uses phosphorescence as a method for lighting. According to a spokesman, this simple but innovative idea will save up to 30% of electricity, compared to traditional vending machines, by using phosphorescent lighting (commonly seen in glow-in-the-dark sticks) at night and times of a blackout. Powered by fluorescent chemicals and solar energy, this lighting source has a life of several hours. Fujitaka Corp. plans to utilize this efficient source of lighting in populated areas such as subway stations (to light up stairs, emergency exits, signs, etc), hospitals, schools, public restrooms, and underground parking garages.
Another product on display was the “Disaster Information Transmission Vending Machine” (DITVM) produced by Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd (DNP). Unlike the Ranman introduced above, the DITVM operates solely on solar energy powered through inbuilt solar panels. More than just a vending machine the focus of the device is to provide realtime information instantaneously when a natural disaster occurs, and as happened during the earthquake in March, when other forms of media communication such as mobile devices are not available. It is connected to the internet through WiMAX and receives digital airwaves from Japan Television, which is broadcasted on the built in screen. When a natural disaster occurs, a flash light and siren atop the DITVM is triggered as police and evacuation directions are displayed, along with the information on the disaster for example location, magnitude and depth if an earthquake. Even at times of blackouts, a solar-charged battery kicks in to both operate the machine and transmit news. Similar to other vending machines the DITVM will also dispense drinks for free when it is alerted of a natural disaster. During normal and peaceful times, the display screen acts to provide daily news, weather information, and news bulletins about upcoming events.
Manufacturers within Japan have been quick to innovate from the earthquake and there was a distinct prevalence at the expo of a number of products that aimed at answering the new concerns that have arisen since the earthquake. Renewable power sources, information systems, communication alternatives are a sample of the focus that companies are putting into new products since the events in March.
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Ronald is an intern at CScout Japan writing on technology and product innovations for Japan Trends. He was raised in Tokyo, and currently studies International Business and Marketing at Pepperdine University in California. 
in recent times has been a lot of vending machines and honestly, I just found out in the presence of vending machines we can save energy. recently i heard there was vending machines that connect directly with some of social media, such as facebook and twitter.
vending machine cos. are taking the advice of ad & PR companies — keep the focus on the obvious — the flashing lights — and keep it off the real source of power consumption, the cooling and heating units in the vending machine (though the “next cans” only cooling/heating method is a partial fix). the light problem is easily solved as the article demonstrates; the cooling and heating power consumption is huge and a tougher nut – may we see some specific watt-hour numbers for lights vs. heat/cool power consumption? even the JVMA (Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers Association) on their japanese language web site avoids specifics about the heating and cooling power consumption part of the machine equation. good PR job; though METI is not fooled. zato – swords available
Never heard of such machines. Do you know the prices? This would be very helpful…
Please submit,
Best wishes
I. Massopust