Kochi University (in Kochi Prefecture, Japan) introduced Japan’s first “President’s Treat Vending Machine” (学長のおごり自販機) on December 3, 2025.
This unique vending machine allows students and staff to get free drinks, funded personally by University President Hiroyuki Ukeda (受田浩之学長). It promotes communication and exchange among students, faculty, and staff.
How It Works
- The machine is located in the lounge of the student union building on the Asakura Campus (高知市曙町).
- To get a free drink:
- Visit the university’s public relations/alumni office (on the same floor).
- Record a short video message (e.g., goals, suggestions, thanks, or requests to the president).
- Receive a special “President’s Coin” (学長コイン) in exchange.
- Insert the coin into the vending machine like regular money to dispense a drink.
- Videos are shared with the president, who may respond or use them to foster better campus connections.
- The machine also functions as a normal paid vending machine.
Background and Purpose
This initiative adapts Suntory Beverage Solutions’ corporate “Boss’s Treat Vending Machine” (社長のおごり自販機), where pairs of employees scan ID cards for free drinks to encourage casual chats.
Kochi University customized it for broader interaction, including direct outreach to the president. It’s the first such installation at a Japanese university.
President Ukeda emphasized creating a “smiling, open campus” and plans to visit the machine occasionally to chat with users. He jokingly noted costs would be “negotiated with the family finance minister” (his wife).
The idea gained media attention, with reports from outlets like Yomiuri Shimbun, Nikkei, and local TV highlighting its innovative approach to campus well-being.