Japanese trading company Marubeni Corp will invest US$8.2m in the country’s number one retailer, Aeon Co., to claim stakes in two of the company’s currently wholly owned units.

Marubeni will net 15 per cent equity in Aeon Global Merchandising and Aeon Topvalu, according to NAM News.

The investment is part of a Marubeni, Aeon and Daiei agreement in March 2007 to combine business and capital efforts.

Marubeni’s Topvalu stake is priced at US$6.1m, and their investment in Aeon’s product procurement group Global Merchandising will cost US$2.1m. The move will go ahead on 30 September.