McDonald's Japan opening more stores in second half

Tokyo

MCDONALD'S Japan is adding to its restaurant count in the second half of the year, underscoring a turnaround that has seen same-store sales climb for 21 straight months.

McDonald's Holdings Co Japan plans to open more restaurants than it will close in the second half, said chief executive officer Sarah Casanova, adding that she expects the trend in new stores to continue next year. That comes after the fast-food chain shuttered restaurants for years as it faced food-contamination scandals that sent sales plummeting.