Japanese real estate giant Mitsui Fudosan Co. on Wednesday opened its first overseas LaLaport shopping complex in Shanghai, in an effort to meet expanding consumer needs of upper- and middle-income Chinese households.

The 55,000-square-meter mall is planned to be fully open by this fall, with around 180 shops, including Japanese restaurants, a movie theater and the first full-sized Gundam statue outside of Japan.

The LaLaport Shanghai Jinqiao, located in a development area for retail facilities and housing, is expected to cater to young people and upper-middle-class customers.

One draw is the 18-meter-tall Freedom Gundam robot erected at the entrance in cooperation with Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. They hope Gundam fans will flock to events and limited product sales related to the anime.

The complex will also have a Bandai Namco VS Park, a variety sports facility that offers the experience of being on a TV show.

Mitsui Fudosan is also planning to open a LaLaport mall in Malaysia in 2021 and two others in Taiwan in 2022.

==Kyodo

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