I'm beginning to love these "Only in Japan" stories, where another one was spotted today that is actually a great idea. A vending machine that in the case of an emergency, will still dispense goods.

How so? Well, it's hand-cranked, where food and beverages (or other supplies) would be dispensed when the power is down. Something that is perfect in the tsunami and earthquake-prone country. Sanden, a Japanese vending outfit, developed the system that would allow the country's 5.5 million machines to run without electricity or solar power, and rely on hand-cranking.

The amount of cranks required? 70. 20 seconds until it powers up to do so, also. The machine displayed above will shoot out around seven bottles in 20 seconds before the machine needs to be re-cranked. This is such a great idea, something that should be rolled out across all countries in my opinion!