Fast Retailing Co. aims to open at least 200 Uniqlo stores in the U.S. by 2020 as it seeks to raise sales sixfold in a decade.
"The United States is one of the most important markets for us," Shin Odake, chief executive officer of Uniqlo's U.S. unit, said. "We want to become the No. 1 retailer in the world."
It is already Asia's biggest clothing chain.
Fast Retailing, which plans to open its second U.S. store on New York's Fifth Avenue next year, aims for revenue to reach ¥5 trillion by 2020. The company is considering opening stores in other major cities, including San Francisco, Chicago and Boston, Odake said.
The company will hire 50 U.S. college graduates this year and send them to Japan for six months of training to be managers, Odake said.
Fast Retailing will add 44 Uniqlo stores overseas and 36 in Japan in the 12 months to August, bringing the total to 1,024, the company said Oct. 8. That's the same pace of openings as its last fiscal year.
The company has said it aims to boost the tally to 4,000 by 2020.
Uniqlo's sole U.S. store is located in New York's Soho district. Fast Retailing also sells the Theory apparel brand in the U.S.
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