Toshifumi Suzuki, Architect of Japan’s 7-Eleven Empire, Dies at 93
Toshifumi Suzuki, who built the Japanese unit of 7-Eleven into a global convenience‑store empire, died in Tokyo at 93 from heart failure. As CEO of 7-Eleven Japan from 1978, he expanded the chain to more than 80,000 stores worldwide, oversaw acquisitions like Barney’s Japan in 2015 and added banking services, and helped Seven & i Holdings broaden its reach by absorbing Sogo and Seibu; a 2024 takeover bid by Couche‑Tard was abandoned. Funeral services were private; he is survived by his wife and two children.