SINGAPORE — Japan’s largest train operator East Japan Railway Company (JR East) will open retail shops in 27 of the 32 stations on the future Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), which is slated to begin operations in phases from the end of this year.

According to a report by Japanese media Kyodo News, JR East will operate the retail space which may house some Japanese tenants.

The company plans to open shops in three stations — Woodlands North, Woodlands and Woodlands South — in December, the report said.

JR East is the first Japanese railway operator to develop commercial facilities at metro stations in foreign countries.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) had announced in August that it would be outsourcing the rail system’s non-fare business for the first time and had awarded tenders for the operation of advertising and retail spaces along the future TEL.

The LTA said then that the retail operator of the train line will be a three-way consortium comprising SMRT Experience, JR East Business Development SEA and Alphaplus Investments.

SMRT Experience manages the retail and advertising spaces in train stations and bus interchanges run by transport operator SMRT, while Alphaplus Investments is an investment company of supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice.

Kyodo News’ report on Wednesday said that the three companies will establish Stellar Singapore-Japan Retail in October to operate the retail spaces, with JR East Business Development SEA holding a 35 per cent stake.

The new operator will rent 5,000 sqm of floor space from LTA for 16 years starting from the end of 2019.

The largest shopping area, at 1,570 sqm, will be at Woodlands station, it added.

The 43km, 32-station TEL — to be operated by SMRT — will open in five stages between this year and 2024. It will serve Changi Airport by about 2040.