Just-in-time haircuts

As we walked to the supermarket, my wife noticed that the store next to the greengrocers (I think it is the place where they used to sell Chinese leather goods) was becoming a QB House (and an article in the Economist - I just wish they were on the stock exchange).
One of the big surprises of moving to Japan was paying less for a haircut than anywhere else in the world (bar countries where labour is cheaper than space, such as India). But in Sweden, a haircut would set me back some 120 SEK, if I could find a barber that cheap. In the US, I remember it cost me upwards of 20 dollars. Here, they charge 1000 yen, and they promise to do it in 10 minutes.
I still cut my hair about every 2 months (my wife complains that is too often, but I hate having it hanging over my ears). So this means that I save a lot of money. And the price pressure on services continues (I can get a shave at another store, if I add 1000 yen). But it is tempting to look nicer (I have a lot of hair) by getting haircuts more often. Which is of course exactly what QB House counts on. My wife, who goes to a very expensive and stylish beauty salon (she looks great afterwards, but she looked great before too) pays a lot more, and I do not think she wishes to get a haircut once every two weeks (last time, it took five hours).
For those who have not been to a QB House, it is a great Japanese invention. You pay at a machine in the corner, which means no handling of money by the barbers (who key in the code on your receipt to register that they took care of you - I reckon they get paid per customer). The cleaning is done by super-efficient vacuum cleaners. The tools are the same as other barbers use (comb, a pair of scissors, two cutting machines). Customers wait in line, and you get served as the guy before you finishes. It is like McDonalds, only it smells better.
Charging this little for haircuts means squeezing out the old barbers who run the single-seat salons in the suburbs. One QB House in Numabukuro will mean the death of 10 of our neighbourhood salons. But they charge 2000 yen or more (of course, you get a shave and a shoulder rub), and it takes at least 30 minutes. And here is the real trick: The guys who run these stores are all over 60. They will retire soon anyway. This is how Japan manages a shrinking population: Increase productivity. And there is still a lot of slack to pull in.
This is great news for anyone who believes that Japan has a great future - more efficiency in the economy means less drinking tea with ojisan at the ministry if you want to know something. It is a tragedy for anyone who wants to have a shoulder rub with their haircut, though. Or maybe QB House will offer that as well.