Fatburger Announces a 2025 Return to Japan

California-based Fatburger is bulking up its international plans.

Today, Sept. 25, the FAT Brands concept announced that it will open four new locations in Okinawa, Japan, over the next five years through a new partnership with Green Micro Factory. The brand’s first unit on Japan’s southernmost prefecture is slated to open before the end of this year.

The Japan National Tourism Organization touts several signature features of the Okinawa chain of islands, including white sand beaches, castle ruins, rare flora and fauna, and winters averaging 15°C (59°F). Popular activities include whale watching and dragon boat races.

“Okinawa presents a strategic opportunity for our return to Japan with its robust tourism and steady foot traffic generated by its military base presence,” says Taylor Wiederhorn, chief development officer of FAT Brands. “We see our debut in Okinawa as the first step in our broader growth across the country as we look to win locals over with our custom-built burgers, Fat and Skinny Fries, hand-scooped milkshakes, and more.”

Besides Fatburger, FAT Brands also is the parent company of 17 other restaurant concepts, franchising and owning over 2,300 units worldwide. This year, the company announced that Buffalo’s Cafe expects to open 10 fast-casual models in France. Further, this month, FAT Brands reseated Andy Wiederhorn as CEO.