Aeon Entertainment Co. is launching operations in Vietnam as the Japanese cinema operator looks beyond its saturated home market for growth opportunities.
The company plans to invest up to ¥30 billion ($200 million) by 2035 to build a network of theaters in Vietnam, with the first multiplex set to open in the southern region this year. This initial 4,000-5,000 square meter facility will be larger than Aeon’s typical Japanese theaters.
Aeon will establish a joint venture with Beta Media, Vietnam’s fourth-largest cinema operator with 20 existing locations. Through this partnership, the Japanese company aims to build 21 theaters across Vietnam by 2030, targeting both standalone locations and sites within malls operated by its affiliate Aeon Mall.
The expansion marks Aeon Entertainment’s first international venture as it shifts focus from Japan’s declining market. While the company has invested approximately ¥3 billion annually to upgrade domestic facilities in recent years, Vietnam offers greater growth potential with its population exceeding 100 million and comparatively underdeveloped cinema infrastructure.
Aeon Entertainment, currently Japan’s largest cinema operator, expects its first Vietnamese theater to become profitable within three years.
