International Housewares Retail, parent of Japan Home Centre, is planning to expand by opening stores at MTR stations.

The company plans to open a store in Siu Hong station in Hong Kong in September to mark its first entry into the train station sector.

It will open 15 stores per year in Hong Kong to cater to the increasing number of middle-class shoppers. Singapore is also on its expansion map, it says.

Besides MTR stations stores, International Housewares Retail also plans to expand into e-commerce to further boost income.

The company said full-year profit rose 42.2 per cent despite the gloomy retail environment, making it optimistic about its outlook.