Lawson debuts new fried chicken so let's see how it compares to other stores
There are certain staples that each of the major convenience store chains in Japan is sure to carry. Onigiri are almost a certain bet, and nikuman steamed meat buns have more recently become available everywhere and all year round. You'll probably even find a melon pan in each store if they aren't already sold out.
Another convenience store sure thing is fried chicken. Back in the day, each store had its own unique style of chicken, but more recently, they have all adopted a breaded fried filet, similar to Family Mart's mega-hit Fami Chiki.
If we took a poll, it seems very likely that Fami Chiki would still reign supreme, but Lawson's L-Chiki and 7-Eleven's Nana Chiki both have offerings worth trying. And now, Lawson is upping their game with a new item called Manmaru Chicken for 248 yen (US$1.67).
The name 'Manmaru' suggests a chicken filet that's both plump and filling, so our writer K. Masami headed out to her nearest Lawson to try one the day it was released on 29 July. Despite the big fried chicken launch, the store wasn't nearly as crowded as she expected. Also, when she went to the fried chicken cabinet, there weren't any Manmaru Chicken there.
There was a price tag for it, however. When she asked the staff about it, they seemed surprised and replied, 'Oh, it comes out today! Do you want us to fry some up?'
She had clearly come during a slow period, so they were probably planning on cooking it when more people would be around. It was nice of them to fry some just for her, and she felt her loyalty for this Lawson branch grow stronger. She even bought two since she appreciated the gesture so much.
Though not in the spirit of her newfound loyalty, she also stopped by a Family Mart and 7-Eleven to buy a Fami Chiki for 240 yen ($1.62) and Nana Chiki for 223 yen ($150) from them too. After all, this was for science.
▼ From the bottom clockwise: Manmaru Chiki (Lawson), Nana Chiki (7-Eleven), Fami Chiki (Family Mart)
Masami was impressed with the size of the Manmaru Chicken compared to the others. After slicing one open, she could see that the trick was rolling the meat up to make it look more three-dimensional. The other big difference was that this chicken was more lightly battered than others, by about 10 percent.
▼ Manmaru Chiki
Those were some very wise decisions by Lawson, and they paid off not only in presentation but taste as well. When she bit into it, juices filled her mouth, and the light seasoning and batter both helped to emphasize the strong meat flavor.
Next, she tried the Nana Chiki from 7-Eleven. It had a bold salt and pepper flavor, and the meat had more fatty parts in it than the others. The new Manmaru Chicken had a milder flavor and was more filling, but Nana Chiki might be a good pick-me-up when tired.
▼ Nana Chiki
And then Masami tried the Fami Chiki, and there were no surprises here, but it was interesting to taste all these chickens back to back. Clearly, Lawson and 7-Eleven weren't trying to just clone a Fami Chiki and hoped to create their own hits. All of the chickens had their own blend of spices in the coating, showing each store's intention to carve its own path.
▼ Fami Chiki
Masami found that the Manmaru was strangely the most filling and yet also the lightest to eat. They all have their own set of charms though, so it's best to try each one and see which is best for you personally.
▼ For a sense of scale, here are the measurements for the Manmaru Chiki
Meanwhile, they all have one thing in common: They taste great with beer or cola!
A journalist friend of hers once said that convenience store chicken and a beer are her lifesavers after a shift. They were totally right too, because at the end of the day, when she's too tired to cook, convenience store chicken and beer felt like they had saved her life. And with these sweltering nights where it can be difficult to eat heavy foods, Manmaru Chicken from Lawson can really hit the spot.
Photos © SoraNews24
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SoraNews24
4 days ago
- SoraNews24
Lawson debuts new fried chicken so let's see how it compares to other stores
Is the biggest bird best? There are certain staples that each of the major convenience store chains in Japan is sure to carry. Onigiri are almost a certain bet, and nikuman steamed meat buns have more recently become available everywhere and all year round. You'll probably even find a melon pan in each store if they aren't already sold out. Another convenience store sure thing is fried chicken. Back in the day, each store had its own unique style of chicken, but more recently, they have all adopted a breaded fried filet, similar to Family Mart's mega-hit Fami Chiki. If we took a poll, it seems very likely that Fami Chiki would still reign supreme, but Lawson's L-Chiki and 7-Eleven's Nana Chiki both have offerings worth trying. And now, Lawson is upping their game with a new item called Manmaru Chicken for 248 yen (US$1.67). The name 'Manmaru' suggests a chicken filet that's both plump and filling, so our writer K. Masami headed out to her nearest Lawson to try one the day it was released on 29 July. Despite the big fried chicken launch, the store wasn't nearly as crowded as she expected. Also, when she went to the fried chicken cabinet, there weren't any Manmaru Chicken there. There was a price tag for it, however. When she asked the staff about it, they seemed surprised and replied, 'Oh, it comes out today! Do you want us to fry some up?' She had clearly come during a slow period, so they were probably planning on cooking it when more people would be around. It was nice of them to fry some just for her, and she felt her loyalty for this Lawson branch grow stronger. She even bought two since she appreciated the gesture so much. Though not in the spirit of her newfound loyalty, she also stopped by a Family Mart and 7-Eleven to buy a Fami Chiki for 240 yen ($1.62) and Nana Chiki for 223 yen ($150) from them too. After all, this was for science. ▼ From the bottom clockwise: Manmaru Chiki (Lawson), Nana Chiki (7-Eleven), Fami Chiki (Family Mart) Masami was impressed with the size of the Manmaru Chicken compared to the others. After slicing one open, she could see that the trick was rolling the meat up to make it look more three-dimensional. The other big difference was that this chicken was more lightly battered than others, by about 10 percent. ▼ Manmaru Chiki Those were some very wise decisions by Lawson, and they paid off not only in presentation but taste as well. When she bit into it, juices filled her mouth, and the light seasoning and batter both helped to emphasize the strong meat flavor. Next, she tried the Nana Chiki from 7-Eleven. It had a bold salt and pepper flavor, and the meat had more fatty parts in it than the others. The new Manmaru Chicken had a milder flavor and was more filling, but Nana Chiki might be a good pick-me-up when tired. ▼ Nana Chiki And then Masami tried the Fami Chiki, and there were no surprises here, but it was interesting to taste all these chickens back to back. Clearly, Lawson and 7-Eleven weren't trying to just clone a Fami Chiki and hoped to create their own hits. All of the chickens had their own blend of spices in the coating, showing each store's intention to carve its own path. ▼ Fami Chiki Masami found that the Manmaru was strangely the most filling and yet also the lightest to eat. They all have their own set of charms though, so it's best to try each one and see which is best for you personally. ▼ For a sense of scale, here are the measurements for the Manmaru Chiki Meanwhile, they all have one thing in common: They taste great with beer or cola! A journalist friend of hers once said that convenience store chicken and a beer are her lifesavers after a shift. They were totally right too, because at the end of the day, when she's too tired to cook, convenience store chicken and beer felt like they had saved her life. And with these sweltering nights where it can be difficult to eat heavy foods, Manmaru Chicken from Lawson can really hit the spot. Photos © SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
Yomiuri Shimbun
23-07-2025
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Withdrawal of Takeover Proposal for Seven & i: How to Increase Corporate Value Remains a Challenge
One of the largest-ever takeover bids by a foreign firm for a Japanese company has abruptly come to an end. The yearlong battle may have an important lesson on ways to increase corporate value. Leading Canadian convenience store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has withdrawn its proposal to acquire Seven & i Holdings Co. for about ¥7 trillion. The Canadian company made the proposal in July last year and continued negotiations, but it broke them off, citing a 'lack of constructive engagement' as the reason for the withdrawal. In response, Seven & i countered that the criticism missed the mark. The public was highly interested in the developments of the takeover bid. Would the meticulous management of the Seven-Eleven convenience store chain, which has become a part of the social infrastructure, be maintained under the umbrella of a foreign company? However, the reality is likely that the talks between Seven & i, which insisted on pursuing its growth independently, and Couche-Tard ended without deepening substantive discussions on specific measures to improve corporate value. The negative side of the situation was that the two sides were so busy in a tug-of-war with each other that they were unable to sufficiently work out business improvement measures. Going forward, Seven & i will need to quickly improve its corporate value. This is because the company has been pursuing structural reforms, including the separation of struggling Ito-Yokado Co., but is only halfway through to restoring profitability. The recent share prices of Seven & i are more than 20% lower than the acquisition prices offered by Couche-Tard. If the growth strategy stalls and the stock prices remain stagnant, Seven & i could become a takeover target again. The biggest challenge for Seven & i is to rebuild its overseas convenience store business, which accounts for about 70% of its total sales. It has over 10,000 stores in the United States, more than any other convenience store company, but the firm is unable to fully grasp the needs of the local market. On the other hand, the Seven-Eleven convenience store chain, which ranks top in Japan, has increased sales at relatively high prices with the selling points of its brand power and the quality of its products. Has the long experience of success caused Seven & i to become complacent? It has been pointed out that, amid prolonged high prices, the company was slow to introduce products with the sense of affordability demanded by consumers. To accelerate growth, it will be necessary to consider measures to form a new partnership, among other steps. In recent years, mergers and acquisitions of Japanese companies by foreign firms have become prominent, partly due to the trend of the yen's depreciation. It can be said that the current times are an era in which even well-known companies have become targets of acquisition by foreign companies. Companies will be required to consider takeover proposals impartially from the standpoint of shareholders. It will also be vital to thoroughly fulfill their accountability and work to implement highly transparent management. Japanese companies' internal reserves have grown to about ¥600 trillion, but the money is not allocated to investment in growth. This is also reflected in the form of undervalued stock prices. Companies should develop growth strategies and actively promote investment. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 23, 2025)
The Diplomat
22-07-2025
- The Diplomat
The Poker Game Between the US, China, and Europe
The EU is badly squeezed between the United States and China – but it still has cards to play, including at the upcoming China-EU summit. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa will be in Beijing on July 24, for a tense meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang – and, hopefully, with President Xi Jinping, though this is still unclear. The former high representative of the EU for foreign relations, Josep Borrell, famously referred to the April 2022 China-EU online talks as a 'dialogue of the deaf,' and the visit of then-Council President Charles Michel and von der Leyen to Beijing in December 2023 was hardly more productive. So, given that a lot of the topics from the agenda of previous summits will still be hovering over the negotiating table, will things be any different this time around? Low Expectations This will certainly be a contentious summit, which could well evolve into a shouting match. The EU has long raised the issues of a stubborn trade deficit, persistent obstacles to market access in China, discrimination against European companies, and a lack of reciprocity in bilateral relations. At the G-7 summit in Canada last month, von der Leyen issued one of her strongest rebukes of China to date, accusing Beijing of export restrictions and state-subsidized overproduction that choked international competition. The European Parliament, too, has condemned Beijing's rare-earth export restrictions as 'unjustified and coercive' and criticized China's 'quasi-monopolistic position.' And while licensing for European firms has been loosened somewhat, the procedures remain suspiciously slow and arduous. Over the past six months, Beijing has deployed a carrot-and-stick strategy in its approach to the EU – which includes more sticks than carrots. As part of a diplomatic campaign to cajole Europeans, last April China lifted sanctions on some members of the European Parliament, while simultaneously making more threats, such as opening new investigations into European beverages, dairy products, and meat. In addition, China is fuming over the European Commission's announcement on June 19, a month before the Beijing summit, about restrictions imposed on Chinese medical device producers under the bloc's International Procurement Instrument (IPI). Beijing wasted no time to proceed immediately to a tit-for-tat move by barring European companies from major Chinese government medical device contracts. The inclusion of two Chinese banks in the blacklist under the 18th EU package of sanctions slapped on Russia is yet another major irritant for Chinese leaders. While Beijing vehemently refutes accusations that China is providing substantive support to Moscow's military machine, a recent European Council press release clearly set out the EU officials' talking points, some of which will by no means be palatable to Chinese interlocutors: 'EU-China relations and current geopolitical challenges, including Russia's war in Ukraine.' Beijing is unlikely to stop supporting Russia, a strategic partner of China's. In early July, Foreign Minister Wang Yi stunned his interlocutors in Brussels by telling them unceremoniously that China did not want to see Russia defeated in Ukraine, quite a departure from Beijing's standard song sheet about not being a party to the conflict. Notably, this is the same Chinese official who offered an olive branch to Europeans at the Munich Security Conference in February, in stark contrast to U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance's inflammatory speech. Beijing's charm offense, however, turned out to be short-lived and purely performative, and European officials are now convinced that China is not really interested in patching things up. If Xi stays away from the summit, which marks the 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic ties, this will be a significant signal in itself. The talks are not expected to deliver any major outputs, and have been dubbed by some analysts a 'non-summit.' The get-together is likely to yield a bland statement on jointly combating climate change, at best. If, however, there is a last-minute breakthrough and white smoke does come out of the Beijing summit, it could take the form of a Chinese order with European aerospace giant Airbus by prioritizing it over Boeing. On the other hand, this would trigger an angry response from Washington, particularly with a view to a possible meeting between Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump later this year. A Three-Sided Poker Game The parallel negotiations between the U.S., China and the EU look a lot like a poker game, not without the usual attempts at outsmarting and peeking at the other players' cards. For example, China's restrictions on the export of rare earth elements and magnets target primarily the United States but European firms, too, are caught in the crossfire. Yet another manifestation of the triangular relationship may be the fact that, in an attempt to find common ground with Washington, von der Leyen has visibly hardened her tone toward Beijing. To a certain degree, a trade agreement between Washington and Brussels by August 1 may affect a possible deal between the U.S. and China by August 12 – if these deadlines are not pushed back again. For instance, if Washington and Brussels were to seal an agreement similar to the U.K.-U.S. deal with tariffs generally as low as 10 percent, other trading partners would be put at a disadvantage, and Chinese officials have already made it clear that Beijing will retaliate. Trump has sent a letter to von der Leyen threatening to impose 30 percent tariffs on EU exports to the U.S. This took Brussels by surprise, as European officials were hoping that the EU could strike a deal along the lines of the agreement between Washington and London. While the European Commission is putting together a package of countermeasures in case the EU-U.S. negotiations fail, this is not Brussels' preferred course of action. Being in charge of the EU's common trade policy, the European Commission has to stick to its guns, as its mandate is to defend the interests of the entire bloc. It has already deployed a growing list of legal instruments vis-à-vis China. As for the U.S., a first round of retaliatory tariffs targeting 21 billion euros worth of American exports has already been approved, but suspended until August 6 to allow time for talks with Washington. Moreover, the Commission has reportedly proposed a second package that covers U.S. aircraft, cars, machinery, and farm produce worth 72 billion euros, though it awaits a green light and looks more like a bargaining chip at this stage. While on August 6 Brussels may have to hit back with the first salvo of retaliatory tariffs, it will probably think twice before moving on to the second package. And it is unclear at present whether there will be sufficient political will in Europe for the use of the so-called Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI), widely referred to as Brussels' 'bazooka.' This is mainly why von der Leyen herself has repeatedly stated that the EU should continue to seek a negotiated solution to the dispute with Washington. Apart from the United States being the largest trading partner of the EU, geopolitics is another major factor to be reckoned with. It is clear that Europe doesn't have the capacity to ensure its own security outside the U.S. nuclear umbrella and without American weaponry. Hence the recent agreement, albeit a shaky one, on a hike of Europeans' defense expenditure to 5 percent of GDP over time, including the purchase of arms for Ukraine. Similarly, a number of EU member states would rather avoid a confrontation with Beijing. A recent report released by the European Think-tank Network on China (ETNC) and titled 'Quest for Strategic Autonomy? Europe Grapples with the U.S.-China Rivalry' pointed out that 'national approaches to economic security remain inconsistent, with some countries showing signs of skepticism or only limited engagement.' The Rules of the Game The EU is badly squeezed between the United States and China – there's no hiding it. It is between a rock and a hard place, and in the most disadvantageous position in the triangle. At present, Europe may not have the cards, as Trump would say, and most probably Xi is of the same view. Hence the U.S. president's brass-knuckles attitude toward Europeans and Beijing's snubbing of the EU that will be on full display at the July 24 summit. However, being a huge market and a key trading partner of both the U.S. and China, the EU does have its cards, as long as it plays its hand smartly, which requires a clear-cut strategy. The 2019 Strategic Outlook defined China simultaneously as a 'partner, competitor and strategic rival.' There are European voices insisting that six years later this triple definition needs to be updated and enriched with a fourth component, with China seen as a 'security threat,' even if an indirect one. This is amply illustrated by the alignment of Moscow and Beijing, and their crusade against the Western liberal order. Things are equally complicated when it comes to the transatlantic bond, brutally shattered by Trump. The U.S. president, as well as his predecessors, has a point in calling for increased defense spending in Europe and this is already being done, albeit grudgingly, by NATO members. But Trump's conviction that the EU was formed to 'screw' the U.S. leaves little room for negotiations on the basis of a well-structured and mutually agreed-upon agenda. Add to that his obsession with viewing international politics as a poker game, whereby unpredictability, bluffing, and threats will do the trick. Can Europe change the rules of the game, as it stands today? Most probably not. Therefore, it will have to resort to the ploys and ruses used by the other players. In doing so, the EU may actually draw some lessons from China. When the trade war broke out a few months ago, Beijing stood its ground and cornered Washington, despite Trump's lofty statements early into his second term. Following Trump's 'Liberation Day' show on April 2, the Chinese and U.S. tariffs skyrocketed to 125 percent and 145 percent, respectively. Then Wall Street freaked out, Chinese rare earths exports to the United States slowed to a trickle, and in late June the two sides reached a temporary agreement for Beijing to speed up exports of critical minerals to the U.S. and for Washington to lift recent export controls on China. As for the Euro-American trade dispute, August 1 may not be the end of the line. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated in a recent interview that August 1 was a 'hard deadline' and the new tariff rates would come in on that day, but he also hinted that negotiations could carry on, so there may be a number of additional talks down the road. Gradual diversification away from dependence on both the U.S. and China, part of the notion of 'strategic autonomy,' is another possible way out of Europe's predicament. The EU is actively looking for new trading partners and sources of critical raw materials, with von der Leyen recently hosting Indonesia's president in Brussels for talks on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA). On July 23, a day before the Beijing summit, Costa is to attend a get-together with Japan, a significant economic and political partner of the EU. Negotiations for an EU-India FTA are also under way and last February the entire European Commission visited New Delhi. Meanwhile, Brussels has already signed FTAs with Singapore, Vietnam, and a partnership agreement with four Mercosur countries. This is not very different from China's pursuit to co-opt the Global South, even if the developing world does not have the purchasing power and absorptive capacity of the U.S. and the EU. But even opening up to other corners of the world may not be enough. The biggest challenge for the EU will be to clean up its own act at home. Having 26 policies too many on every single issue in the 27-member bloc is an inherent European weakness that needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Speaking with one voice and not hesitating to play one's strong cards is an imperative, if the EU is to be taken seriously in the complex poker game in the China-Europe-U.S. triangle.
