Right, but the solution is probably automation and not overworked to death franchise owners.
No work is rarely the trade-off issue in Japan. They operate for quite different margins and labor practices than eg the US.
They haven't had an unemployment rate over 5.5% in 40 years. The typical rate has been 3% to 3.5% for the last 30 years - a time in which they've suffered from perpetual economic stagnation and zero net growth. It's around 2.5% right now.
Japan is losing population while simultaneously having an extraordinarily low unemployment rate. Automation is the only path forward, they should be pursuing it with as much vigor as possible. If you're Japan, as your population contracts, the ideal is to wipe out all convenience store jobs and push the labor force higher up the ladder whenever possible.
Well, they could always do more immigration. Its not like they don't do some already, and I think the Japanese will become much more open to it in the future.
For example, you get points for JLPT N2 (previously only N1) and for patents you only need one (previously three, if IIRC).