Imagine driving back home after spending a weekend with your family... Its 11pm. You are tired, and just want to go to sleep. Your jap car with 2" wide 10" diameter wheels is almost out of gas. You are going 70km/h on jap one-lane highway, collecting a huge tail of japs who don't care behind you.
You are looking for a gas station.
You see them every few kilometers, dark and unwelcome.
You are screwed.
Welcome to Japan, where gas stations, just like ATM Machines close shortly after 6 or 8pm. You wana get some gas at night? Shit out of luck. Better hope you are carrying a gas canister in the back of your car to do a emergency refill on the road.