Is the convenience store near your apartment liquor-free? If it is, it probably won’t be for long:

Japan basically abolished restrictions on grants of alcoholic drink-selling licenses to new market entrants in 2003. But a new law was soon enacted to maintain the restrictions in many regions as a way to protect mom-and-pop liquor shops.

As the law expired at the end of August this year, Seven-Eleven Japan Co. and other convenience chains have started to apply for licenses in the hope that full introduction of alcoholic drinks to their stores will help to shore up their sluggish sales.

At the end of February, five major chains had some 5,000 unlicensed stores, which accounted for 15 pct of their total outlets.

Alcoholic drinks are expected to become available at all stores except for special cases such as stores located on the premises of schools.

So, unless you live next to a school, every konbini near you will be open for the main past time of gaijin in Japan: drinking on the curb in front a konbini.