US retailer Gap Inc. is opening its first two Banana Republic stores in Tokyo this summer. The San Francisco-based retailer made the anouncement in November that it would open three stores in Japan by the end of the year. The first two shops are expected to open in prime shopping locations in September. One will open in Printemps Ginza while the other will be located in Roppongi Hills. The third location will be announced in July.

President of Gap Inc's international division, Andrew Rolfe, is supervising Banana's Japanese expansion. "Ginza, like New York's 5th Avenue, is simply one of the world's most prominent shopping districts. Roppongi Hills, which opened two years ago, has fast become a haven for Tokyo shopping culture," said Rolfe in a statement. Banana Republic has over 450 stores and annual sales in excess of $2 billion (GBP 1.11 billion) in North America.