On a roadtrip a few years ago I was struck by the design of a row of vending machines at a rest stop: entirely walled off / caged off by a solid metal security mesh, with small holes to just barely let people operate them. Very much like this picture: https://s3-media0.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/NudVpPKiq1AsWL1CSAa_... So I agree crime and theft is a big factor. But it's not enough of an explanation, as other high-trust societies (and even more parts of the US not that long ago) don't or didn't emulate various Japanese aspects, and even in Japan there are various "why do they do things this way" aspects that would make most sense in a low-trust or corrupt society. Some of them can be traced to being an over-reaction, like the lack of public trash cans in Tokyo. Increasingly I think the real answer to these "why can't place x have this unique thing Japan has?" sorts of questions is "because it's not Japan" -- you need the whole collection of aspects that only came about via Japan's unique history, you can't do it by just capturing a few aspects like their low crime state. It's an unhelpful answer, but at the same time suggests maybe people should look for ways to do something better, not emulative. (As much as I find the vending machines everywhere in Japan very cool, I don't particularly want them.)
Here's something to blow your mind: Out in the countryside, farmers have stalls where they put some of the day's harvest for sale. It's completely unmanned without surveillance and operates on the honor system; customers leave cash in a nearby container and take the produce they bought.
Yes, it works beautifully because there are literally no bloody assholes uncivilized enough to be thieves.
Vending machines are abundant for the same reason: There simply aren't any assholes fucking uncivilized enough to loot or otherwise damage/destroy them. The supremely civilized culture of Japan manifests in superb security and all the good things that are only possible in such an environment.
You leave a vending machine outside somewhere in the United States of America? Son, that thing is going to get freedom'd faster than the US military goes bombing deserts for oil. I say that as an American and yes it is fucking shameful, but that is the state of affairs.
As an aside, Japan really likes the warm glow of a vending machine at night: Dutifully serving its customers without complaining and lighting the way; some of them come with features to remember repeat customers and their preferences, recommend products based on their expressions, and some still might even make small talk. Yes, Japan loves vending machines.
We have honor box farm stands in the USA too. Not counting coolers with eggs alone, there are probably half a dozen between our home and my wife's office.
This despite the fact that we have numbskulls and halfwits in the area. Last year someone knocked down all the mailboxes on the nearest paved road. We also picked up an absolutely staggering number of Twisted Tea cans from the side of the road last Vermont Green Up Day.
The countryside honor system is still present in certain parts of the US (sometimes it's even present in suburban neighborhoods!), it doesn't blow my mind. (I also have living memory of how good things used to be in various places, too.) Similarly, there are still many places where a vending machine will remain unmolested. What did surprise me once while visiting Tokyo was that in several game centers the extra prizes to restock the claw/UFO machines are often just stored... on top of the machine in a bag or basket. Sure, most Japanese are too short to reach and steal them, but foreigners frequent those places too, and yet people behave.
Did you know there's an anime where the main character dies and gets reincarnated into a fantasy world as a vending machine? https://myanimelist.net/anime/52619/Jidou_Hanbaiki_ni_Umarek... I got a handful of episodes in while it was airing, I'm now reminded to go back and finish the season maybe next month, but it was quite a bit more charming and interesting than I gave it credit for from the premise. Indeed, there is a lot of love for vending machines.
I’m from very rural USA (population: 32). I’ve only seen farm stands in very isolated towns where people generally know each other. A lot near my home town have disappeared.
In my experience, I’ve seen unattended farm stands, antique stores, and flea markets even in Tokyo.
Japan has a whole host of nice things we can’t have in the US because we let bad actors run wild.