One of Japan's major convenience store companies opened a new chain in Tokyo on Wednesday which targets female customers, the company announced.

Circle K Sunkus Co. opened the first store of its new chain, Fork Talk, in front of Tokyo Station in central Tokyo. The store is equipped with a bakery, a light cooking space, serving tables, and selection of goods geared toward the needs and preferences of female customers.

The chain serves various pasta and pastries products, while carrying less snacks and caffeinated drinks. The new chain does not sell men's magazines, one of the most profitable products in typical convenience stores.

The Fork Talk expects six female customers for every four males. The customer ratio at regular convenience stores in Japan is seven men for every three women.

Kiyoshi Hijikata, the Circle K's president, agreed that getting male customers is key to success for convenience stores during a press conference Tuesday.

He expects 1,100 customers and sales of 750,000 yen ($6,365) every day. The average daily sales at regular convenience stores is around 470,000 ($3,989).

The new chain is still a sample for our experiment, Hijikata said, adding that one more store will open by Feb. 2007.

( 1USD = 117.81 yen)

Japan