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Alibaba to establish sourcing unit for Japanese products

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. will set up a new division for sourcing Japanese products that have yet to gain popularity with consumers in China, CEO Daniel Zhang told the Nikkei Asian Review in a May 23 report.

Plans for what Zhang called the "great import center" come after Alibaba saw sales of Japanese products surge 120% in 2017. The Chinese e-commerce giant reportedly plans to increase sales of made-in-Japan goods through both its online and physical retail stores.

The move also reflects a rise in Chinese tourists to Japan, with more than 7 million visits in 2017 that bring added exposure to the country's brands and products, according to the report.

Alibaba has previously teamed up with Japanese companies such as Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd. unit Suntory Holdings Ltd. to sell alcoholic beverages in China, as well as with Daio Paper Corp. and Pigeon Corp. to develop baby products for Chinese consumers.

Meanwhile, the Chinese company also plans to boost sourcing from the U.S. and Europe, to match "state strategy to increase imports," Zhang told the newspaper.

Direct handling of its supply chain could help Alibaba boost its credibility as it continues to battle against fake goods sold on its online marketplaces. The company recently more than tripled the number of brands listed as members of its anticounterfeiting alliance.