Business · Companies · 6 hrs ago
ITOCHU takes majority stake in Japanese tax-free shopping system firm
ITOCHU and a Development Bank-linked fund took a majority stake in Smart Technologies & Resources, a Tokyo-based developer of tax-free shopping systems.
The investment comes as Japan changes its tax-free shopping rules from November.
The company’s system automatically refunds the consumption tax paid by eligible visitors.
ITOCHU plans to expand use of the refund system under the new rules.
BellSystem24 Holdings will help with operating support.
The companies are also considering using visitors’ purchase data, though no details are given about how it would be used.
The investment brings ITOCHU into a market linked to shopping by visitors to Japan.
ITOCHU and a fund affiliated with the Development Bank of Japan have acquired a majority stake in Smart Technologies & Resources.
The Tokyo-based company develops systems for tax-free shopping.
The investment comes ahead of a revision to Japan’s tax-free shopping system in November.
ITOCHU plans to expand the company’s system for automatically refunding consumption tax.
The companies also plan to support system operations and consider using purchase data from visitors to Japan.
- Who
- ITOCHU and a fund affiliated with the Development Bank of Japan. The company receiving the investment is Smart Technologies & Resources.
- What
- They acquired a majority stake in the tax-free shopping system developer.
- When
- The article was published on November 1, 2026. The investment date is not stated.
- Where
- Japan; Smart Technologies & Resources is based in Minato, Tokyo.
- Why
- To expand the company’s automatic consumption tax refund system ahead of a tax-free system revision, and to consider using purchase data from visitors to Japan.
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- Investor
- ITOCHU and a Development Bank of Japan-affiliated fund
- Stake
- Majority stake
- Company
- Smart Technologies & Resources
- Base
- Minato, Tokyo
- System change
- Japan’s tax-free shopping system revision is due in November