Ummmm. Insecty . . .
An article in the Kumanichi says that the vending machine can be found on the Kokai Shopping Street (Kokai Shotengai) where it is a “mushi dekinai” item (a pun on the word “mushi” [insect] and the expression meaning “cannot be ignored”).
https://kumanichi.com/news/705976/
The banner says “world’s first edible insect vending machine” but I think they just assumed that this HAD to be the first, though it isn’t. A quick internet search turned this up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mud6YeaUhM
In fact, it’s not even the first in Japan. See
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/aug/11/jonathanwatts
The Japan News article (URL at bottom of this page) seems to defend the “first” claim by saying that it’s the first one to be put in this kind of market. OK . . . but that’s not what the banner says!! :(
This reminds me of the description of the caldera in Aso. It’s correct to say that it is “among the largest in the world” (世界最大級のカルデラ) but that is sometimes simplified to become “the largest in world” (世界最大のカルデラ). But, hey, it’s too good to check (unless you happen to be a foreign, kuki ga yomenai curmudgeon like yours truly ;) )!!
– Kirk