Major domestic underwear firms are aggressively expanding their direct retail operations, opening lingerie boutiques with French names, as well as bra kiosks at train stations.

Wacoal Corp., the largest domestic company in the sector with annual lingerie sales of 110 billion yen, has been opening outlets in major urban areas since September and currently has 30 shops.

The Kyoto-based firm said it plans to establish 40 new stores during the 2003 business year, with an eye to operating around 150 outlets by the end of March 2006.