Toshifumi Suzuki, the Founder of 7-Eleven Japan and widely regarded as the father of Japan's convenience store industry, died of heart failure on May 18 at the age of 93, Seven & i Holdings said. Born in Nagano, Suzuki joined retailer Ito-Yokado in 1963. He partnered with Southland Corp, the US operator of ​7-Eleven, to launch 7-Eleven Japan in 1973.