ICHIYA’s POP Eye – Machine

　From Kyary Pamyu Pamyu Moshi Moshi Nippon’s “ICHIYA’s POP EYE”.
  Today’s topic is Machine!
  Life in Japan is surrounded by machines. One of the examples is vending machine.  You can find it everywhere, outdoors and indoors. In Japan, there are five million vending machines. The total annual sales are fifty billion dollars.  You can purchase anything with them, not only juice, beers, cigarettes, magazines, but also instant cup noodles, bananas, sushi, eggs, flowers, umbrellas, and underwear. 
  Moreover, they talk. They say “Hello.” and “Thank you.” They communicate. They are alive. The number of digital media vending machines  that feature movies on a screen,  is increasing these days. We can be surrounded by five million of digital entertainment vending machines  in the near future.
  For Japanese people,  vending machines are friends. It is natural to be friends with machines for us. It is one of the Japanese characteristics to make friends with machines. We have always liked to develop human-shaped robots, Astro Boy, for example, and to play with robot pets such as Sony’s AIBO or SEGA’s Pooch. Some hospitals use toy robots for aged care. 

  From of old, Japanese people play with and live together with machines and robots. In the west, they are to serve for humans, while in Japan they are our friends. It may sound strange and immature. However it is also our culture to play with something a little childlike. It is believed god inhabits everything in Japan too. 
  There are many robot pets. For example, we have dog-shaped toy robot, and seal-shaped robot. Robots have always talked and played with people in Japan. In the west, things, machines and robots are to serve humans. Japan saw a machine and robot boom in the 17th century. 
  It is one aspect of Japanese cultures to enjoy something childlike. Japanese witness the divine in everything. It is said that there are millions of gods in Japan, like vending machines. Machines have a life. Japanese people find god and a life in everything.
Why don’t you come to Japan and play with machines?