Expansion Strategy for Unattended Convenience Store Surveillance Systems Inspired by Singapore’s Technological Advancement

Nanyang Polytechnic

3rd year, Department of Business Administration　FUKUNAGA Nonoka
Study Abroad Period: August 19, 2024 – September 26, 2024
TOBITATE! Study Abroad Initiative

I participated in an overseas training program at Nanyang Polytechnic in Singapore for about one month, from August 19 to September 26, 2024. I am currently interested in addressing the issue of labor shortages in rural areas caused by depopulation in Japan by promoting unmanned convenience stores in those regions. I learned that Singapore’s first unmanned convenience store is installed at Nanyang Polytechnic, which sparked my interest and motivated me to join this overseas training program.

The experience of visiting Cheers

Surveillance cameras at Cheers

One of the most important technologies used in unmanned convenience stores is the security system. Therefore, I focused on incorporating surveillance technology in Singapore, where technological development is most advanced. The unmanned convenience store Cheers at Nanyang Polytechnic is equipped with a vision system that performs surveillance and image processing. I conducted research using the vision system and robots. The robots can be operated through programming. By integrating these technologies, the robots were able to detect and remove scratches on parts while moving them and distinguish colors.

I also collaborated with students at Nanyang Polytechnic by conducting surveys about Cheers, which allowed me to investigate unmanned convenience stores in more detail.

Through these experiences, I realized that introducing this vision system into Japanese unmanned convenience stores could enable a superior surveillance system that has not been achievable in Japan.
Furthermore, by spreading this technology to rural areas, we can increase the number of unmanned stores, achieve 24-hour unmanned operations, and help solve the labor shortage problem.

In addition to security aspects, I had many discussions with the manager of Cheers, which deepened my interest in the store.

Group photo with local students and students from other technical colleges.

During this program, I interacted with students from Nanyang Polytechnic and made many friends. I was especially touched by their kindness, as they spoke to me warmly even though I am not very confident in my English. Thanks to the friendliness of the people in Singapore, I was able to have a much more rewarding experience. I am grateful to everyone who supported me and will cherish these memories while continuing to participate actively in international exchange activities.

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