“スーパー戦国時代”老舗ダイエーが次々閉店…イオン新業態に　“お一人さま”向け1号店オープン（2026年02月26日）

(Aired February 25, 2026) The supermarket that opened on the 25th is targeting single customers and aiming to expand into the Tokyo metropolitan area. With new types of supermarkets rapidly emerging, we are truly in a "supermarket war." In this new era, long-established supermarkets like Daiei are closing one after another and being reborn as new stores. On the evening of the 24th, many shoppers watched as the Daiei Kamimizo store in Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, closed its doors. It closed its doors after 53 years of history. Customers said things like, "I bought lunch here almost every day," and "I really love Daiei's bento boxes." On the 24th, the last day of business, some people were seen taking commemorative photos. Customer: "I'm 68 years old, and I think it opened when I was about 15, in the third year of junior high school. It feels like it was a part of my youth, like it's always been there." The walls were covered with farewell messages such as "Thank you for 53 years" and "Thank you for everything." Also, along with the familiar music, an announcement played inside the store: "Daiei Kamimizo Store will live on forever! Really!" Then came the moment of closing. Some staff members were seen wiping away tears. Daiei Kamimizo Store: "We've had so many fun times. It's sad to have to close, but we're bringing our 53-year history to a close here." Daiei's parent company, the Aeon Group, plans to close many Daiei stores in the Kanto region and convert them to the "Aeon Food Style" format. However, the Kamimizo store, which opened in 1972, is aging, and the future use of the site has not yet been decided. Furthermore, the Daiei Ebina store, with a 41-year history, also closed on the 25th. It is said that it will be rebuilt and reborn as an Aeon store. Why is Daiei being reborn? Akihito Nakai, a distribution analyst familiar with supermarket trends, points out, "Daiei is a general merchandise store, selling not only food but also general goods, clothing, and various other items. People buy food at supermarkets, but other items at specialty stores. Industry restructuring is likely to accelerate rapidly. It's like the latter half of the Warring States period." On the other hand, the "Daiei" name will remain in the Kansai region, where there are many stores. A new supermarket brand, aiming to make an offensive in this Warring States period, opened on the 25th. Its name is "Otonari Mart," a smaller-scale store format operated by the large supermarket chain "Beisia." Shinsuke Aoki, General Manager of the General Food Department for Small-Scale Stores at Beisia: "Matching the individual needs of each customer. Meeting product needs is what Otonari Mart should be doing." As products specializing in individual servings, fish is 322 yen (including tax) per piece, and bananas are 42 yen each. Natto is sold in single packs, and customers can choose from 16 different sauces to create their own customized natto. One shopper commented, "There's such a wide variety of products, and you can buy them one by one. It's so convenient. It's also fun to choose." Another highlight is the "microwaveable canned food," which can be heated directly in the can. There are three varieties, including "beef offal stew." In November 2025, Trial GO, a small urban supermarket chain primarily operating in Kyushu, and Valor, known for its fresh produce, are expanding into the Kanto region. What is Otonari Mart, specializing in individual portions, aiming for…? Shinsuke Aoki, General Manager of the Small-Format General Food Department at Beisia: "We are aiming to establish a network of 300 stores, mainly in the Tokyo metropolitan area. We are thinking of developing Otonari Mart stores at a size comparable to convenience stores."