Japan was the first Starbucks market outside North America.
Starbucks entered Japan in 1996, opening its first Japanese store in Tokyo’s Ginza district. The expansion made Japan the company’s first international market and an important early test of whether its café model could travel beyond the United States and Canada.
The Japanese business initially operated through a joint venture involving Starbucks Coffee International and Sazaby League, a Japanese retail and restaurant company. This structure helped Starbucks adapt its stores and operations to the local market.
Japan is sometimes confused with China because China became one of Starbucks’ most important international markets. However, Starbucks did not open its first mainland Chinese store until 1999, three years after its Japanese launch.