HASTINGS, MN -- Anytime Fitness is continuing its international growth after attaining a master franchise agreement in Japan.
The master franchise group, Fast Fitness Japan Inc., will now do business as Anytime Fitness Japan. The group, led by former Megalos CEO Toru Yamazaki, consists of several individuals with extensive experience in the international fitness industry, according to a company press release.
The completion of the agreement comes a few weeks after Anytime Fitness announced plans to open clubs in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
“This is an exciting time for Anytime Fitness as we continue to introduce our brand to different parts of the world,” John Kersh, vice president of international development for Anytime Fitness, said in a statement. “Japan is an ideal starting ground for our Asian expansion and well-suited for the Anytime Fitness concept.”
Anytime Fitness Japan expects to open its first club in September in the Tokyo area and has goals of operating 30 clubs by 2012 and more than 300 clubs over the next 10 years. The clubs are expected to be smaller in size than those in the U.S. and will charge between $50 and $60 per month.
“We fully expect that Anytime Fitness will reinvigorate the Japanese market with its convenient and affordable fitness offering,” Yamazaki said in a statement.
Anytime Fitness has 1,250 clubs open in the U.S. and more than 100 clubs open in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and India. The Hastings, MN-based company expects to open its 2,000th club by the end of 2011.