Toshifumi Suzuki, a pioneer of Japanese convenience stores and founder of Seven-Eleven Japan, has died at the age of 93.

Toshifumi Suzuki, considered the father of the convenience store industry in Japan and founder of Seven-Eleven Japan, died on May 18 of heart failure at the age of 93, Seven & i Holdings announced on Monday.

Born in 1932 in Nagano Prefecture, Suzuki joined the distributor Ito-Yokado in 1963 after a stint with a book wholesaler. At a time when the convenience store concept was met with skepticism in Japan, he partnered with the American company Southland Corp to launch Seven-Eleven Japan in 1973. The first store opened in Tokyo the following year.

Under his leadership, the company revolutionized Japanese retail through innovative inventory management based on data analysis and rapid product turnover. He notably developed the ready-meal offering, which became one of the symbols of Japanese "konbini" (convenience stores).

Suzuki also played a key role in the rescue of Southland in the early 1990s, after the bankruptcy of 7-Eleven's heavily indebted American parent company.

In 2005, he founded Seven & i Holdings and oversaw the group's expansion into a retail giant. A passionate reader and influential figure in Japanese commerce, he stepped down as chairman in 2016 following disagreements with management, while remaining a respected figure in the industry.

His legacy is widely associated with the transformation of convenience stores into an indispensable part of daily life in Japan.