Which company acquired the Disney Store business in Japan in 2002?

Oriental Land Company acquired the Disney Store business in Japan in 2002.

Oriental Land Company is the Japanese operator associated with Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. Its acquisition of Disney Store operations in Japan reflected the close commercial relationship between the two companies and gave Oriental Land a larger role in selling Disney-branded merchandise in the Japanese market.

Disney Stores in Japan had opened earlier as part of the international expansion of the retail chain. The 2002 transaction did not mean that Oriental Land acquired The Walt Disney Company worldwide. It concerned the Japanese Disney Store business and its local retail operations.

This distinction is important because Oriental Land is often associated with Tokyo Disney Resort, while Disney Store is commonly assumed to be operated directly by Disney everywhere. Ownership and operation varied by territory, and the Japanese business became a notable example of a regional arrangement involving a major Disney partner.