My hotel had beer in the vending machine on my floor. This was Tokyo last year. This was not a public vending machine though.

There are fewer in Tokyo than in the 1980s, but they still exist. They are in virtually wall hotels, but there's a beer and chuhai vending machine on the street near my kids' Tokyo preschool.

I stand corrected. I guess it depends on the ward / district and I've been hanging out all the wrong places!

Wait, really? I thought there were copious alcohol in Tokyo vending machines, at least the last time I visited.

They still have them in the vending room in many business hotels in Tokyo. Better than a minibar!