News Release
Cool Japan Fund Inc.
Tokyo, October 3, 2017
Investing in Japanese Dining and Retail Businessthat Delivers Japanese Food Culture in London
Cool Japan Fund (CJF) is pleased to announce an investment of up to 3 million pounds towards
the establishment of a platform to operate a Japanese dining and retail business that will deliver aunique experience of Japanese food culture together with Japan Centre Group Ltd. (JCG), acorporation in London which pioneered the introduction of Japanese food culture and developed
the Japan Centre, a retail store handling Japanese groceries, lifestyle goods, and books, as well asShoryu Ramen, a Hakata tonkotsu ramen restaurant recommended in the Michelin Guide.
Facing the uplifting trend in Japanese food market in London, the project will create a space
where one can experience unique Japanese food culture in London. The space will include a foodzone that offers various Japanese cuisine in an open kitchen concept, a retail zone that sells uniquegroceries and other products from all over Japan, as well as cooking demonstrations that use
Japanese ingredients, seasonal festivals and other promotional activities which will enrich thecustomer experience and help promote Japanese food culture. The project strives to create a space
where traditional Japanese food culture can be vibrantly experienced through “Dining, Shopping,and Exploring.”
Through this project, CJF will assist in the exportation of unique Japanese groceries andhousehold goods while promoting the understanding of Japanese food culture by people fromaround the world through developing business in London.
Following the increasing popularity in Japanese food in recent years, Japanese food service
enterprises have expanded, more new Japanese restaurants have opened (1), and as Japanese foodhas become more popular, the number of people keen to adopt various unique and traditional
Japanese cuisine, groceries and other product is showing unprecedented growth.
Located in London, JCG has been playing a key role in developing a broad range of businesses
relating to Japanese cuisine for more than 40 years. Starting with the Japan Centre, which sells
Japanese groceries, lifestyle goods, and books, they have also developed Shoryu Ramen, a Hakata
tonkotsu ramen restaurant recommended by the Michelin Guide; a traditional washoku restaurant
named Sakagura which boasts a large selection of Japanese Sake; and the JCG delicatessen, which
offers sushi, bentos, and various side dishes. Besides being an expert in local business, JCG is also
creating partnerships with various local and Japanese corporations seeking opportunities to expand
into the London market, and played a significant role in bringing Japanese food culture to London.
With increasing interest towards unique and traditional Japanese groceries and other products, JCG
intends to expand its business into the next stage, where people can explore Japanese culture, as
well as shop and dine.
(1) An approx. The number of Japanese restaurants increased 1.7-fold from 2011 to 2016 in England. (Source: JETRO)

Contact for details regarding this document:
Cool Japan Fund (PR representatives: Yuge, Okuyama) Tel: +81-03-6406-7500

Based on this current environment, CJF has decided to invest up to 3 million pounds towards
the establishment of a joint venture operating Japanese dining and retail business that delivers
Japanese food culture together with JCG.
The project creates a space where one can experience unique Japanese food culture throughrelated dining, shopping, demonstrations, and promotional activities. It is set to open in the firsthalf of 2018. The food zone will offer sushi, ramen, curry, tempura, and other staple menu items
in an open kitchen style where people can enjoy seeing their food being made.
Also, in the shopping zone, in addition to the wide variety of national brands that JCG currently
sells, the project seeks to showcase unique groceries including seasonings and alcohol and otherattractive products from all over Japan. Furthermore, the project strives to create a space wheretraditional Japanese food culture can be vibrantly experienced through “Dining, Shopping, andExploring” via Japanese Sake tastings and seminars, Japanese food demonstrations using seasonal
Japanese ingredients that are rare in the region, and implementing seasonal promotions. Similar
initiatives may take place not only in the UK but also in other parts of Europe in the future.
Through this project, CJF combines the needs of Japanese regional groceries supplier with theneeds of JCG, which intend to introduce more groceries and other products from diverse regions,to support the exportation of unique domestic Japanese groceries and household goods. Also, byoperating in London, CJF hopes to promote the Japanese food culture to people from around theworld.

[About Japan Centre Group Ltd.]
Established:
1976
Business Description:
Operates 2 Japanese groceries shops (Japan Centre) and 11
restaurants
Location:
London, UK
Representative:
Kunizo Tokumine
Employees:
Approx. 600 (as of July 2017)
Homepage:https://www.japancentre.com/

Contact for details regarding this document:
Cool Japan Fund (PR representatives: Yuge, Okuyama) Tel: +81-03-6406-7500

Investing in Japanese Dining and Retail Businessthat Delivers Japanese Food Culture in London[Project Scheme]

Japan Centre Group Ltd.

Other minorityshareholders

Up to 3M GBP investment

Local Joint Venture“Ichiba UK Limited”[Images]