Starbucks Weighs Sale of Majority Stake in Japan Business Valued at About $3 Billion

According to CNBC, Starbucks Corp. is weighing the sale of a majority stake in its Japan business in a potential deal that could value the coffee chain's largest overseas company-operated market at about $3 billion. The Japan operations span 1,883 stores and accounted for nearly 9% of Starbucks' global footprint as of September 2025. The company has sought pitches from several financial advisers and is open to selling a majority stake, while a formal process could begin in the fourth quarter. Starbucks took full control of its Japan business in 2014 for about $914 million, and the unit has since grown from around 1,050 stores to 1,883 outlets as of September 2025.