[RajT88]

My Japanese friend told me his parents would send him to the store for beer at age 5. (He would successfully return with beer)

I gather things are different now over there...

[MiguelX413]

Where is “over there”?

[RajT88]

Japan namely. While I cannot say whether or not a store would sell beer to a 5 year old, no longer can anyone just buy beer or cigarettes (and more) from vending machines.

[RajT88]

If you are asking the part of Japan - Tokushima.