Takashimaya in Shanghai

SHANGHAI: The recession-led slump in retail turnover is being seen as an opportunity by some high-end foreign retailers to tap into the Chinese mainland, but they need to factor in risks associated with market saturation before marching into China, industry analysts told China Daily yesterday.

On Tuesday, Takashimaya Co, one of the largest department store operators in Japan, said Shanghai was where it would open its first store in the country.

The 180-year-old Japanese chain store operator will partner with China Enterprise, a Shanghai-listed developer, to launch the eight-storey store in 2012. The project would come up at the Gubei International Fortune Plaza, a commercial property project developed by China Enterprise.