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Hooters to shut original Japan location

TOKYO (TR) – The Japan branch of the popular U.S. restaurant chain Hooters announced last week that it is closing its original outlet in Japan.

On August 14, the chain, known for its busty waitresses in low-cut uniforms, said on its web site that the Akasaka branch will cease operations after close of business this Friday.

In the statement, Hooters Japan said that the closure of the Akasaka branch, which opened in October 2010, was “due to various reasons.”

The first outlet of Hooters in Japan opened in Akasaka in 2010

After expansion into the Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka markets, the chain once boasted 7 branches. In 2016, sales at operator HJ Inc. peaked at 1.77 billion yen. But Hooters has struggled in Japan in recent years.

HJ filed for bankruptcy protection last year. The chain, which now only includes the store in Tokyo’s Ginza district, is now run by Fun Dining Co., according to its web site.