每日英語跟讀 Ep.967: About Japan -Japan sushi chef using bodybuilder delivery to boost sales amidst pandemic 利用健美運動員來送餐與日本百貨

A sushi restaurant in central Japan is trying to boost sluggish demand during the coronavirus pandemic by sending shirtless bodybuilders to deliver food to its customers.

藉由派出打赤膊的健美運動員向客戶外送食物，日本中部一間壽司餐廳正試圖振興冠狀病毒大流行期間的疲軟需求。

The service dubbed “Delivery Macho”, was established by 41-year-old Imazushi chef Masanori Sugiura who is also a competition bodybuilder.

這項服務取名為「外送猛男」，由41歲的「今壽司」大廚杉浦正典創立，他也是個健美選手。

Sugiura has recruited his friends who worked at fitness gyms to work as sushi delivery staff, as they were out of work during the pandemic.

杉浦把之前在健身房工作的友人找來當壽司外送員，因為他們在疾病大流行期間沒有工作。

The only condition is that customers need to order a minimum of 7000 yen to get a taste of the delivery macho.

惟一條件是顧客需至少點餐7000日圓，才能一嚐外送猛男滋味。

The promotion has been a sensation on Twitter, and Sugiura receives up to 10 orders a day with monthly earnings from the service of about 1.5 million yen.

此一推銷活動在推特上造成轟動，杉浦一天至少接到10張訂單，這項服務賺得月收約150萬日圓。

Death knell sounds for some of Japan’s oldest department stores 日本部分歷史最悠久的百貨公司喪鐘大作

After more than three centuries in business, the Onuma department store in northern Japanese city of Yamagata began bankruptcy proceedings this year - one of many distinguished department stores across the country in dire straits.

在日本北部城市山形市營業超過3個世紀的大沼百貨公司，今年展開破產程序，為全日本各地許多經營陷入困境的知名百貨公司之一。

Japan’s department stores have been in a long slow decline as shopping habits change.

隨著購物習慣改變，日本的百貨公司已進入漫長且緩慢的衰退。

Now the coronavirus pandemic, just as it has forced U.S. retailers such as Lord & Taylor and Neiman Marcus into bankruptcy, is hammering nails into coffins for some - particularly those in regional areas.

如今新冠病毒肆虐全球，一如迫使美國零售百貨業者羅德與泰勒以及尼曼馬庫斯破產，該病毒正對部分——特別是區域型百貨公司，發出催命符。

Last month, 146-year-old Nakago closed the doors of its last remaining store in Fukushima city, while Izutsuya Co Ltd, a chain in the southern city of Kita Kyushu, shuttered one of its two main stores.

上個月，有146年歷史的中合百貨公司關閉在福島市碩果僅存的最後一家分店，至於在南部城市北九州市的連鎖百貨公司井筒屋，則關閉了兩大主要分店中的一家。

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1399004 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1399199