Business Oct. 14, 2008 - 07:34AM JST ( 3 )

TOKYO —

Japanese toymaker Tomy Co, better known as TakaraTomy, is on an expansion move in China, as it aims to boost sales in the country to about 10 billion yen from 300 million yen over the next three years.

The company specifically is revamping its sales channels in China that, until now, have consisted mostly of Japanese-run supermarkets and department stores and is increasing the number of sales agents to cover local toy stores and supermarket chains.

In three years, Tomy aims to increase the number of outlets handling its goods to about 1,000 from the current 300.

Also from the beginning of next year, Tomy is scheduled to start selling goods related to the television animation series “Romance of the Three Kingdoms,” which was created jointly by the company and the state-run China Central Television and went on air from this month.

Tomy sees China as a very attractive market, a company official said, indicating that the country is growing in importance as a consumer market rather than a manufacturing center due to its recent strong economic growth.

To boost sales there, Tomy is poised to make active use of local stores so that Chinese consumers will be able to purchase goods more cheaply. A survey of some 1,200 residents in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities by the company this summer found that many people want to buy toys as cheaply as possible even if they have abundant income.

As for its products, the company intends to beef up sales of the mainstay “Tomica” miniature cars and “Licca-chan” dolls and double the number of standard items available in China to some 700, company officials said.

JCN