bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

David McNeill

FOR MILLIONS OF Japanese such as Kai Ishii, the day begins with a quick canned drink on the way to the train station. 'When I was a student in Britain I really missed the vending machines,' says the 22-year-old salaryman. 'They're a lot easier than running around before work having to find a store.'

Throughout the day, he can get all he needs without ever having to interact with another person: subway tickets, beverages, bento lunch boxes, noodles and rice balls, cigarettes, toilet paper, beer and batteries. After all, Japan boasts the highest concentration of vending machines on the planet:  5.6 million, or one for every 20 people

Over the years  there's little that hasn't appeared behind a coin-operated glass display case: ice, eggs, pet beetles, umbrellas and, in one brief but bizarre boom, schoolgirls' used panties. Drivers on remote highways can sometimes be seen pulling up to an electronic pit-stop for those essential purchases of adult videos. This month, the city of Sendai will conduct trials with machines that will  accept contributions to a charity in Miyagi prefecture. As well as slots for items such as chilled drinks, the machines will feature buttons to divert change from purchases to a worthy cause, as well as accept larger donations.

Nothing is safe from the machine. In the days when flesh-and-blood humans  staffed Japanese love hotels, bashful couples stood by the reception as a liver-spotted hand slid a key out from beneath a curtain and a croaky voice announced a room number. For some, being served by granny was a libido-killing moment.

But punters are increasingly spared such embarrassing encounters. A push-button computer panel displays vacancies and a female-voiced vending machine inside each room times the love-making session, while automatically locking the door. The only way out is to pay the machine (or start a fire).

'I prefer this way because it's more private,' says 23-year-old Yuki Nakamura, a regular visitor with her boyfriend to hotels around the west Tokyo area. 'It used to make me feel uncomfortable if I had to see the person behind the counter. Besides, machines don't make mistakes the way people sometimes do.'

In the future, Nakamura may not even have to carry money on her date. Several are working on a mobile phone-operated payment system that will charge the cost of purchases to her monthly phone bill. The cashless love-hotel vending machine may be added to the list of innovations from a country that gave the world the Walkman, the heated toilet and the pot noodle.

Convenience, service, attention to detail and smart technology - it's what, for some, make Japan the template 21st-century society, a country that struggles like no other to dull the friction of modern life and cherishes Sartre's dictum that 'hell is other people'.

The Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers Association says the industry clocked up sales last year of about seven trillion yen - larger than the entire GDP of several small countries.  The machines have become so  dominant that they're widely blamed for killing off the 2,000-yen bill because engineers were too slow to modify vending machines to accept them.

Few places are more than a short walk from  a ubiquitous humming neon box selling everything from rice to porn: country lanes, forests, beachfronts; even the top of  Mount Fuji. Vandalising is rare and the machines are invariably well stocked.

Engineers see the electronic vendor as one of the solutions to Japan's looming population crisis. With 19,000 fewer Japanese born  last year than the  year before, the machine is increasingly  providing services that in other advanced countries is performed by immigrants. In cities such as Osaka, some machines have even been programmed to talk in  local dialects  to humanise them.

The vending box has been around for  100 years, but exploded in popularity after the introduction of 100-yen coins in the 1960s.  But despite their dominance, clouds have gathered over the industry. Although there are always new additions to the smorgasbord of fare on offer (such as a recent craze for green tea), the mainstay market for drinks is saturated and has been flat for a decade.

The industry is an environmental nightmare, spewing out millions of cans and plastic bottles and tonnes of coolant gases, and consuming the equivalent of more than the output of a one-megawatt nuclear power plant every year. And Japan's 620,000 cigarette machines - 40 times the US figure - are blamed for fuelling the epidemic of underage smoking in a country with the fourth-highest smoking rate in the world. A recent government survey found that more than two-thirds of high school children buy their first cigarette from a machine.

This being Japan, hi-tech help is at hand. Coca-Cola Japan, which owns  almost a million vending machines, has  developed a low-emission, eco-friendly model and says it will phase out older machines by 2020. Suntory and Kirin  is following suit, helped by the big manufacturers Matsushita and Fuji Denki. Matsushita has launched a machine that uses  30 per cent less electricity. Meanwhile, in a bid to head off growing pressure from the World Health Organisation, the Japanese tobacco industry (which is heavily backed by the government) has developed an ID-card system for purchasing cigarettes. The system has gone on trial on a remote island off the coast of Kyushu, which has about 170 machines catering to 8,000  smokers.

The results are mixed - arrests for underage smoking down by just seven after a year of trials. 'It won't stop youngsters who really want to smoke because they can always get hold of their parents' ID cards,' says  Sagamihara City convenience store owner Kenichi Sato.  Still, by 2008 every machine is supposed to be equipped with some sort of age-verification system. The stakes are high: thousands of vending machines selling alcohol were  taken off the streets until an age-verification system could be developed.

But some in the industry are focusing on the big prize: finding a way to link vending machines with almost 90 million mobile phones in Japan.  Phones are already widely used to buy concert tickets, book restaurants and scan ticket barriers in train stations and, by 2008, about 40 million Japanese may be using them as part of what's called the cashless society, according to think-tank the Japan Research Institute.

It was only a matter of time before mobile phone and vending mahcine were joined  in technological harmony.

Coca-Cola Japan  launched a pilot scheme four years ago, allowing mobile phone subscribers to buy directly from 2,100 strategically placed machines. The phone is swiped over an electronic reader like a supermarket barcode checkout, and the customer is later billed for the purchase. Organised with telecom giant NTT, the service has taken off and Coca-Cola plans to convert 20 per cent of its vending machines within three years.

'Mobile-phone purchasing is the  way of the future,' says Takashi Kurosaki, secretary general of the Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers Association. 'We expect this to grow and grow.'

Vendors love the system because they can track the preferences of consumers. Coca-Cola spokesman Kota Takasugi says: 'It allows us to send information to the consumer on their cell phone such as samples of new products, and we can also learn what sort of products they like.'

The  technology  is admired by the police, who would like to be able to simply read the billing addresses of underage drinkers and smokers rather than have to track them down.

Anything that increases convenience in the busy, gadget-mad country is likely to get the thumbs-up from consumers, especially youngsters who have grown up with vending machines and already use mobile phones like a third hand. 'My phone is the only thing I carry with me every day,' says university student Tomoko Ishibashi. 'I think it's a great idea, but I just hope I don't end up getting a huge bill at the end of the month.'

One day, the sweet-talking love hotel vending machines may merge with their cashless cousins and send the last of those granny proprietors into retirement. Not that anything would surprise her after years working in an industry that has a well-stocked supply of sex toys in each room - from a vending machine, of course.



Ever vending story

Coca-Cola