Forever 21 formed its Japanese-market joint venture with Itochu.
Itochu Corporation is one of Japan’s major general trading companies, with extensive experience in textiles, apparel, licensing, and brand distribution. Its partnership helped Forever 21 enter Japan during the late-2000s fast-fashion boom, when international chains were expanding rapidly in Tokyo and other major retail centers.
Forever 21 opened its first Japanese store in Harajuku in 2009. The brand became associated with inexpensive, trend-driven clothing and expanded to multiple Japanese locations. However, the operation later struggled with changing consumer tastes and competition, and Forever 21 withdrew from Japan in 2019.
The Itochu connection can be confusing because the companies’ relationship has also involved licensing and distribution rights, not just the original market-entry arrangement. After Authentic Brands Group acquired Forever 21’s brand assets in 2020, Itochu obtained Japanese sales and master-license rights in 2022, working with Adastria’s subsidiary Gate Win for a 2023 relaunch. Thus, Itochu is the canonical answer, while later Japanese partners describe a separate phase of the brand’s history.