Photo/Illutration Mitoshi Matsumoto posts a bill opposing Seven-Eleven Japan building a temporary outlet in a parking lot of the disputed store in Higashi-Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, on April 1. (Fumiko Kuribayashi)

HIGASHI-OSAKA, Osaka Prefecture--Seven-Eleven Japan Co. has begun building a makeshift outlet in the parking lot of a closed local franchise store it is fighting over in court.

On April 1, the major convenience store operator erected fences to divide the parking lot from the store and began construction on a new, temporary outlet.

The same day, Mitoshi Matsumoto, the former owner, posted a notice on his closed store that said Seven-Eleven headquarters should stop using unjust force against him.

“If I turn over the store, I will lose my last stronghold,” he said. “I will follow the court’s ultimate decision, but it is wrong to force construction of this makeshift outlet.”

Matsumoto had temporarily closed his Seven-Eleven shop late at night in February 2019 in opposition to the company’s 24-hour store policy.

Seven-Eleven headquarters terminated their franchise contract with him at the end of the same year, and both sides filed damage suits with the Osaka District Court.

Matsumoto is seeking to cancel the contract’s termination, while headquarters is asking for ownership.

The company said it started construction only after Matsumoto rejected its request that he turn over the keys to the store.

Seven-Eleven said it is necessary to build the temporary outlet there because it has “received requests from local residents to restart the business for shopping and neighborhood security.”

The company plans to dismantle the makeshift outlet once court proceedings have finished.

Related News