Kura Sushi Inc. said it will open a branch later in 2020 in Shanghai, its first store in mainland China, following forays into the United States and Taiwan. The company is aiming to roughly double its branches in Japan and abroad to 1,000 by 2030, with a sales goal of JPY 300 billion ($2.73 billion). Rival conveyor belt chain operators Akindo Sushiro Co. and Genki Sushi Co. have also entered markets overseas. A new outlet to open 22 January 2020 in the popular tourist area of Asakusa in Tokyo will be the model restaurant for those opening overseas in the future with twice the dining space and 40% more seats compared with standard ones in Japan. It is also hoped to attract more travelers from abroad especially when Tokyo is hosting the Olympics and Paralympics this year. The new restaurant in Asakusa, themed after Japan's local festivals, will have employees fluent in English and other languages as well as instant translation devices capable of translating 104 languages.