Major Japanese supermarket operator Ito-Yokado will open its first full-scale food supermarket in China. 
 
Ito-Yokado and Beijing Wangfujing Department Store will each take a 40-percent of the 12 million-dollar stake.

Japanese supermarket operator York-Benimaru will share the remaining 20 percent.

The new firm will be set up in September and open its first outlet in Beijing in early 2005.

(CRI March 15, 2004)