The May 25, of Seven & i Holdings said Suzuki died of heart failure on 18 May. "We express our deepest gratitude for the love that people have for him at his birth, and cherish the announcement he is no more".

Suzuki was considered "the father of the convenience store" in Japan. he joined the Ito-Yokado supermarket series in 1963, and discovered the 7-17 store chain on a business trip in America to negotiate M&A.

Ito Yakado then signed the deal with Southland Corporation - owner 7-07 and opened the first 7-07 store in Tokyo in 1974. This is a 24-hour activity model, accompanied by many services such as the ATM and the electric bill payment.

  • Mr. Toshifumi Suzuki in a press conference in Tokyo April 2016. Image:Reuters*

"When I decided to bring 7-170 back to Japan, everyone said it wouldn't work and object to this idea, from leaders, college professors to consultants. But I know they were wrong", Suzuki said in an interview in 2013.

Suzuki has built this brand into the world's largest convenience store chain. They even turned the American parent company into their branch. Currently, 7-170 has over 85,000 stores worldwide. About 25% of this in Japan.

In an interview on the Asahhi, he stated that he was also the one who came up with the idea of selling rice (onigiri) at stores 7-177 in Japan. Currently, more than 2 billion of these products are sold annually at their stores across the country.

In 1978, Suzuki became the Director of the Japanese Seven-Canada. in 2005, when they formed the Seven & i Holdings parent company to merge the supermarkets and restaurants, he became the president and CEO of this company. Suzuki left in 2016, after contradicting the board and investors of personnel planning.

  • Walker passes through a 7-07 store in Tokyo August 2024 Image: Reuters*

Suzuki is the ninth of ten siblings. In his memoirs, he wrote that although the family was well-funded and had many tenants, his mother was very strict and always taught his children that "no working will not eat". Before each breakfast, his brothers had to sweep the yard and would be scolded if he showed a lazy expression.

So even when Suzuki was in his 80s, Suzuki regularly went to the 7-170s stores on the weekend to buy and check the cargo. "I've met a lot of luck in business. But I always assumed that luck was on the side of those who were willing to do their best to reach the goal. It doesn't come naturally," Suzuki wrote in his memoirs.