KFC Opens its 1,200th restaurant in Japan

KFC is celebrating its 1200th restaurant in Japan, which opened on April 27th in Fukuoka. Located in the Mina Tenjin shopping mall, this latest addition to KFC’s growing number of restaurants in Japan will be operated by our franchise partner JR Kyushu Fast Foods Co..

To commemorate the milestone opening, the restaurant also features a Colonel Sanders statue wearing the traditional Dontaku costume of the Hakata Dontaku Minato Festival, one of three major festivals held in Hakata, the neighborhood in Fukuoka where the Minami Tenjin KFC is located. The presence of Colonel Sanders statues outside of our restaurants is an instantly and uniquely identifiable feature of our locations in Japan. The Colonels are frequently costumed for different occasions, and the new Minami Tenjin Colonel is a true tribute to Hakata and its people.

At the grand opening event, Takayuki Hanji, President and CEO of Kentucky Fried Chicken Japan thanked customers for their patronage of our brand and emphasized KFC’s continued commitment to growth in the region. Shiro Nagata, President and CEO of JR Kyushu Fast Foods Co, unveiled the Hakata Dontaku Colonel as well as a commemorative 1,200th restaurant plaque.

"We are thrilled to congratulate both KFC Japan and JR Kyushu on the opening of their 1,200th and 54th KFC restaurant, respectively,” said Mike Slaton, Chief Development Officer for KFC Greater Asia. “This is an incredible milestone that showcases the strength of our partnership and the dedication of our teams to expanding the KFC brand in Japan. We are proud to work alongside such exceptional partners and look forward to continuing our growth together.” 

Opening the 1,200th location is not just an opportunity to grow our business, but to also continue our commitment to sustainable stewardship of our people, food and planet in Japan. The new Minami Tenjin restaurant is led by Rika Nagatomo. KFC Japan has an established diversity promotion department that continuously works to encourage and promote women leaders. This initiative has been recognized by the Japanese government and reflects the brand’s global commitment to championing a culture of equity, inclusion and belonging. 

The impact of Rika’s restaurant will extend beyond the walls of Minami Tenjin as they participate in KFC’s well-established food donation platform in Japan that helps get leftover food from our restaurants to single-parent households and food banks. To reduce our environmental burden, KFC Japan used biodegradable plastic bags and FSC-certified paper packaging made from responsibly managed forests. Additionally, KFC Japan supports the World Food Programme’s work to improve nutrition for children in developing countries and provide school meals. The brand also supports Special Olympics Japan.  

Congratulations to KFC Japan and our franchise partners JR Kyushu Fast Foods on this truly special milestone opening!