Avis Car Rental announced its return to the Japanese market with the opening of its flagship location at Chitose International Airport on Hokkaidō Island.

The opening is the first of several planned this year, with locations at Fukuoka International Airport, Narita International Airport, and Kagoshima International Airport, scheduled for the summer. Idex Auto Japan, a dealer of new and previously owned vehicles and car rental operator in Japan, has been appointed the company's licensee to operate the brand.

The new facilities will provide local and international customers with Avis' products and services, including a wide range of late-model vehicles, short- and long-term rentals, and outstanding customer service. Customers will be able to book reservations for Chitose International Airport on Avis' website, with new locations added over the course of the summer.

Avis' legacy in Asia can be traced back to 1970, when the company opened its first location in Hong Kong. Operations in Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Pakistan followed. Operations have grown steadily throughout the region ever since, including Avis' leading presence in China, which began in 2002.

Avis now has approximately 300 locations in Asia.

The company's agreement with Idex Auto Japan to operate the Avis brand in Japan builds upon a relationship that dates back to 1985. Idex Auto Japan is a licensee partner for Budget, a sister-company to Avis.