China's Xiaomi opens first physical stores in Japan, targeting families

TOKYO -- China's home electronics companies are intensifying their push into Japan's smart appliance market, combining internet-connected smart functions and aggressive pricing, backed by global sourcing, to court Japanese households.

Xiaomi, China's largest smartphone maker, has opened its first retail locations in Japan, opening two stores in Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo. Rival Oppo, China's third-largest smartphone brand, has entered Japan's TV market with a new lineup of tunerless LCD smart TVs.