Japanese retail legend, Muji, is opening its first Australian store at Chadstone Shopping Centre in Melbourne next month.

The flagship will be joined by a CBD Melbourne site at CFS Retail’s Emporium by early 2014.

Sydney stores are also in the pipeline, with Muji’s primary expansion focus on the eastern seaboard.

Muji sells homewares, furniture, clothing, health and beauty, and other consumer goods.

It works to a philosophy of “no brand quality goods” and is often compared to Swedish chain, Ikea.

It has more than 600 stores in key markets, such as Europe, the US, and Asia, and is scouting for franchisees in Western Europe.

Muji launched in 1980 with a range of nine household products and 31 foods.

Today it sells more than 5000 products in Japan.

The next wave of retailers

Muji is not the only Asian retail giant targeting Australia, with another Japanese chain, Uniqlo, set for next year.

Daiso, known as the 100 Yen store, has also been opening stores across the nation, and other big names are rumoured.

Inside Retail columnist, Jon Bird, wrote in early 2013 that the next wave of retailers will be Asian, not European or American.

“Asia has already stepped into the spotlight on the world retail stage,” he said, predicting that Muji and Uniqlo would be first.

Muji, which is often dubbed the Ikea of Japan, follows European chains Zara and Topshop into the country.