Most Japanese companies have introduced a teinen system, which means that on reaching a certain age a person must retire from work, whether he wants to or not. The age limit is usually from 55 to 60; the average age has tended to rise a little in recent years. On retiring, a lump sum of money, called a retirement allowance, is given, and, if it is a retirement after working for many years at a large company, the amount is as much as 20 to 30 million.
The role of the teinen system is, rather than requiring retirement from work for old age, an employment adjustment in connection with the lifetime employment system, but executives above the director level generally have no teinen.
Jido-hanbaiki are everywhere throughout Japan. Products in them range widely, from alcoholic drinks and cigarettes to flowers and underwear. Jido-hanbaiki are probably more widespread in Japan than anywhere else in the world. Even when stores are closed, items can be purchased from jido-hanbaiki, so they are convenient for consumers; even for sellers there are almost no personnel or store expenses. However, the biggest reason why jido-hanbaiki have proliferated in Japan is "safety." Without public peace and order, jido-hanbaiki would probably have been broken or stolen before becoming so widespread. Thus, the proliferation of jido-hanbaiki tells partly about how the Japanese people presently live their lives and partly about the secret of the development of the Japanese economy.